***Breaking News*** AFHK 5 Year Report

In a new report from Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK), a national non-profit group that addresses childhood obesity, the way to improve the nutritional quality of school programs is to encourage foods that provide important nutrients for children, rather than simply trying to rid schools of chips and candy or focusing on foods and beverages to avoid.  The research shows that children are undernourished -- consuming too many calories and not enough vitamins and minerals. Encouraging nutrient-rich foods such as low-fat milk, fruits and vegetables is vital to making them the core of every school's nutrition program.  

Two years after the implementation of school wellness policies, the report also found that only two percent of youth consume the recommended number of servings from all food groups. With rising food prices, schools in the Southeast are struggling to stretch tight budgets in order to put nutritious kid-appealing meals in the cafeteria as students head back to school this fall. Nutrient-rich foods like low-fat and fat-free dairy products can help schools ensure that they are providing maximum nutritional benefit at a low cost.

Penny for penny, dairy is one of the best nutritional values of any food group. The Dietary Guidelines identifies the milk group as a "food group to encourage" because milk products provide key nutrients including calcium, potassium, phosphorous, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin and niacin especially important for growing children and teens. That's a powerful nutritional package delivered in a cost-efficient way.

The Southeast Dairy Association is committed to improving children's health by working with the dairy industry to develop milk and milk products that best meet kids' needs for both nutrition and taste, especially since the majority of children do not get the recommended three servings a day of dairy. The dairy industry has increased milk's appeal to children by making specific and straightforward improvements, including plastic packaging, additional flavors, and better refrigeration and merchandising, resulting in a 37 percent increase in school milk consumption in a pilot test.[1],[2]

Teaching kids to eat healthy lunches doesn't have to be difficult. I am available to discuss some easy ways for parents to make sure their kids get the vitamins and minerals they need during the school day, whether they buy lunch or bring it from home.  Please contact me if you'd like to schedule an interview to discuss the study findings, its impact on school and child nutrition in the Southeast, and tips every parent should know.

To view the report, click here.

Mary Martin Nordness MA, RD, LD, CHES
1-800-251-4531
Mmnordness@sudiainc.com