What's for lunch in American schools? Recently updated school meal standards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture call on schools to offer more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and to serve only fat-free and low-fat milk. Several recent announcements show that schools across the country are finding success serving healthier meals.
Cities, counties, and states that are taking major steps to address the childhood obesity epidemic are starting to see signs of progress.
After three decades of increases, adult obesity rates remained level in every state except for one in the past year. Thirteen states now have adult obesity rates above 30 percent, 41 states have rates of at least 25 percent, and every state is above 20 percent, according to the report.
Fast-food companies emphasize toy giveaways and movie tie-ins when marketing to kids on television, which suggests industry is not abiding by its own pledges regarding child-directed marketing.
RWJF President and CEO Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, calls the U.S. Department of Agriculture's updated standards "a momentous step toward a healthier future for millions of children."
When people eat fast food, they consume more calories than they realize, but menu labels can help people choose lower-calorie options.
Representatives from the public, private and nonprofit sectors gathered in Washington, D.C., on July 9, 2013, to highlight signs of progress in local and state efforts to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic. In this video, Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, president and CEO of RWJF, shares insights from the event.
Kids spend more time at school than any other place outside the home. The National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program feed tens of millions of students everyday, and many students get up to half of their daily calories at school.
In fall 2012, updated nutrition standards for school meals rolled out nationwide. But many schools have been working to provide healthier meals for years. RWJF supports the Healthy Schools Program, which provides assistance to more than 15,000 schools across the country, reaching more than 9 million students, as well as teachers and other school staff.
Schools in Ankeny, Iowa; Hopkins, Minn.; Jackson, Tenn.; Memphis, Tenn.; and Topkea, Kan.; are among those leading the way when it comes to offering healthy school meals. Their stories show that changes can be made even in an era of tight budgets.
RWJF is dedicated to making sure all foods and beverages in school are healthy.
Learn more about the Foundation's strategyThe U.S. Department of Agriculture recently updated nutrition standards for school snacks and drinks sold in vending machines, à la carte lines, and school stores. This is the first update to such standards in more than 30 years, and Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, president and CEO of RWJF, called them a "momentous step."
A recent RWJF-funded study links strong nutrition standards for school meals with lower obesity rates, especially among students who were eligible for free and reduced-price lunches. RWJF spoke with the lead study author to learn more.
Our goal is to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015 by improving access to affordable healthy foods and increasing opportunities for physical activity in schools and communities across the nation.
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Ensure that all foods and beverages served and sold in schools meet or exceed the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
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Increase access to high-quality, affordable foods through new or improved grocery stores and healthier corner stores and bodegas.
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Increase the time, intensity and duration of physical activity during the school day and out-of-school programs.
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Increase physical activity by improving the built environment in communities.
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Use pricing strategies—both incentives and disincentives—to promote the purchase of healthier foods.
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Reduce youths' exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods through regulation, policy and effective industry self-regulation.
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