Act Now to Promote Healthy School Nutrition

Food Bank of Western Mass writes:

On Thursday, MA House of Representatives passed legislation to take an important step to combat childhood obesity, promote positive learning environments, and promote MA agriculture. The legislation requires that nutritional standards be developed for food sold in school vending machines, a la carte lines, and stores – foods currently not covered by federal USDA regulations on school meals. The legislation also eliminates barriers for public schools, colleges, and universities to purchase products directly from MA farms.

The bill will address the rising rates of obesity and related chronic diseases increasingly affecting young people in MA. Currently, more than 1in 4 MA teenagers is overweight or obese. While the Commonwealth has the second lowest rate of adult obesity, we rank 30th for childhood obesity. School is a critical source of nutrition – children consume up to 2/3 of their daily calories at school and learn critical healthy – or unhealthy – lifetime habits there.

Vocal support from Massachusetts constituents for this bill no doubt helped make it happen.

Thank you for helping to ensure our children have access to nutritious food in school!

3 Comments on “Act Now to Promote Healthy School Nutrition”

Hilltown Families
January 29, 2010

Food Bank of Western Mass writes:

On Thursday, MA House of Representatives passed legislation to take an important step to combat childhood obesity, promote positive learning environments, and promote MA agriculture. The legislation requires that nutritional standards be developed for food sold in school vending machines, a la carte lines, and stores – foods currently not covered by federal USDA regulations on school meals. The legislation also eliminates barriers for public schools, colleges, and universities to purchase products directly from MA farms.

The bill will address the rising rates of obesity and related chronic diseases increasingly affecting young people in MA. Currently, more than 1in 4 MA teenagers is overweight or obese. While the Commonwealth has the second lowest rate of adult obesity, we rank 30th for childhood obesity. School is a critical source of nutrition – children consume up to 2/3 of their daily calories at school and learn critical healthy – or unhealthy – lifetime habits there.

Vocal support from Massachusetts constituents for this bill no doubt helped make it happen.

Thank you for helping to ensure our children have access to nutritious food in school!

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Liz Jacobson-Carroll
January 28, 2010

This would be great for kids, farmers and communities. SSA — School Supported Agriculture — could provide a big boost for all involved. Students and parents (among others) could volunteer to perform routine farm tasks during the summer months, then reap the benefits daily during the academic year…

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Heather Gray
January 28, 2010

I am in support of having healthy and locally grown foods in schools across our Commonwealth. Let’s make it happen!

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