Invaders of the Cafeteria

1. Invaders of the Cafeteria

2. The Victims: Our Schools and

3. Our Children

4. Childhood Obesity In 2000, about 15.5 percent of adolescents (ages 12 to 19) and 15.3 percent of children (ages 6 to 11) are obese.

5. The Domino Effect • Obesity and Malnutrition Trigger the following: • high blood pressure, high cholesterol and abnormal blood lipid levels, and insulin resistance • Type II diabetes which accounted for 2% to 4% of all childhood diabetes before 1992 but skyrocketed to 16% by 1994 • bone and joint problems • shortness of breath which makes exercise, sports, or any physical activity more difficult and may aggravate the symptoms or increase the chances of developing asthma and other respiratory problems • restless or disordered sleep patterns • overweight girls may have irregular menstrual cycles and have fertility problems in adulthood • liver and gall bladder disease • depression and low self esteem

6. Malnutrition Malnutrition comes in the form of "too much" rather than too little - too much saturated fat, too many hydrogenated fats, too much sodium, too much refined sugar, too many calories.

7. Malnutrition Only 2% of school-aged children meet the Food Guide Pyramid serving recommendations for all five major food groups. Girls age 14 to 18 have especially low intakes of fruits and dairy products. The percentages of children meeting the recommended number of food group servings are : 14% Fruit 17% Meat/Protein 20% Vegetables 23% Grains 30% Milk/Calcium

8. The Invaders: Vending Machines

9. The Poison • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) 2000 survey concluded that 43% of elementary schools, 89.4% of middle/junior high, and 98.2% of senior high schools had a vending machine, a school store, canteen, or snack bar where students could purchase competitive foods or beverages. • Of the drinks available, 70% are sugary drinks such as soda, juice drinks with less than 50% juice, iced tea and sports drinks. Of the sodas, 14% are diet. Water accounts for 12% and milk for 5% (mostly high-fat whole milk or 2%). Of the snack foods sold, 42% are candy; 25%, chips; 13%, cookies, snack cakes and pastries. • “Some schools are junk food ‘free-for-alls,’” says Enid Hohn, director of the nutrition services division for Vista Unified School District in San Diego County.

10. International Invaders: Multinational Corporations Multinational Corporation Such as Coca-Cola are claiming all rights to merchandise sold to in schools. They offer hard to resist perks for schools struggling to meet budgetary needs. School distracts often welcome these contracts and as a consequence put our children health for sale.

11. The solution: Sticking it to the Man

12. Recommend solutions 1. Provide financial incentives to state agencies to establish specific education and training standards for local school food service directors and managers. 2. Authorize financial assistance to schools for the purchase of food service equipment that is necessary for preparing and serving school meals. 3. Include funding for cafeteria and dining space for school meals in any Federal school construction legislation. This would result in adequate facilities for school food service personnel to prepare tasty, appealing, and nutritious school meals; and for students to eat in a more comfortable environment and develop healthy eating habits. 4. Amend the current requirements for State revenue matching funds to increase the level of State funding for local school food services. This would increase the States vested interest in encouraging local schools to provide efficient, effective school food service. 5. Revise the current federal guidelines pertaining to the nutritional value of food available in public schools to include those outside the school cafeteria but still located on school property.