ADA calls on schools and communities to help improve student nutrition

Sunday, August 15, 2010 by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer
Tags: students, nutrition, health news

(NaturalNews) The American Dietetic Association (ADA) recently published a position paper that urges local schools and their surrounding communities to work together to improve the nutritional quality of food in schools. The ADA is also advocating for better nutrition education programs to assist students in making healthy lifestyle choices.

"[W]hen nutrition education, physical activity and a healthful school environment are ensured, learning is enhanced and students develop lifelong, healthful eating habits," explains the ADA in its paper.

The group also contends that, since dietary habits are established when children are very young, it is important for nutrition education programs to be implemented as early as possible. Establishing a healthy diet and a pattern of regular exercise will also go a long way to prevent illness from developing later in children's lives.

On August 5, the U.S. Congress reauthorized the national child nutrition programs with the help and input of the ADA. Though somewhat conventional in approach, as it primarily follows the official Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the programs are a good start towards improving the overall health and well-being of today's children.

These policies include revamped school lunch and breakfast programs designed to improve the nutritional quality of the food served, and better incentives for children to pick healthy options over less healthy ones.

Another goal of the program is to link more nutrition experts to local schools where they can provide expertise and help support ongoing efforts to maintain the integrity of the various initiatives.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.eatright.org/Media/content.aspx?i...