• It helps children grow, develop, and do well in school
• It prevents childhood and adolescent health problems such as obesity, dental caries, and iron deficiency anemia
• It lowers the risk of future chronic disease such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.  In addition, healthy eating reduces potential health care costs.

What is Healthy Eating?

Healthy eating is following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommended by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services:

AIM FOR FITNESS...

• Aim for a healthy weight
• Be physically active each day

BUILD A HEALTHY BASE...

• Let the Pyramid guide your food choices
• Choose a variety of grains daily, especially whole grains
• Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables daily
• Keep food safe to eat

   CHOOSE SENSIBLY...

• Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat
• Choose beverages and foods to moderate your intake of sugars
• Choose and prepare foods with less salt

Many Children are Flunking Healthy Eating

• Only 2 percent meet all the recommednations of the Food Guide Pyramid; 16 percent do not meet any
• Less than 15 percent of school children eat the recommended servings of fruit
• Less than 20 percent eat the recommended servings of vegetables
• About 25 percent eat the recommended servings of grains
• Only 30 percent consume the recommended milk group servings
• Only 19 percent of girls aged 9 to 19 meet the recommended intakes for calcium
• Only 16 percent of school children meet the guidelines for saturated fat

Consequences are Troubling

• Childhood obesity is a national epidemic, likely to result in earlier onset and increased prevalance of disease
• The percentage of young people who are overweight has more than doubled in the past 30 years
• Unhealthy eating and physical inactivity are causes of obesity and chronic disease resulting in at least 300,000 deaths each year
• Poor nutrition associated with heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes, alone now costs $71 billion a year

Schools can Help Turn This Around

• Involve students and parents in developing food and nutrition policy.
• Teach healthy eating skills in the classroom and dining areas.
• Serve meals that meet USDA nutrition standards in the school dining areas
• If a la carte foods are offered, be sure they contribute to healthy eating patterns
• If vending machines, snack bars, and school stores are available, be sure they contain healthy snacks
• Schedule meals when children are hungry not at 10 a.m. or 2 p.m.
• Allow adequate time for children to enjoy their meals with their friends.
• Provide sufficient serving areas to reduce the time students must wait to receive a meal
• Teach by example - adults and peers are role models
• Eliminate the use of food as a reward
• Ensure financial decisions do not undermine nutrition goals