American Heart Association Applauds House for Improving School Nutrition Programs

US Newswire - March 25, 2004

WASHINGTON , Mar 25, 2004 (U.S. Newswire via COMTEX) -- The American Heart Association applauds the U.S. House of Representatives for taking action to improve the health of our nation's children.

The Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act (H.R.) 3873 will reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act and the National School Lunch Act, which govern federal programs intended to provide nutritional services to America 's most vulnerable children. Among other things, the bill includes provisions that will promote healthy food choices in schools, provide nutrition education, and fund school-based wellness programs.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity rates have doubled in Children and tripled in adolescents over the past two decades. But Alice Lichtenstein, D.SC., chairperson of the American Heart Association's Nutrition Committee and a professor of Nutrition at the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts University in Boston says that this trend can be reversed if we are able to instill life-long behavior patterns that will promote healthy lifestyles.

"Good habits develop early," said Lichtenstein. "This important program will not only ensure that needy children are fed, but it will also help students learn more about how to live healthy lifestyles by making good food choices and participating in physical activity."

Provisions supported by the American Heart Association include:

-- Funding for states to expand school nutrition education programs

-- Allocation of dollars for schools to purchase and promote fruits and vegetables

-- Institutes a "Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program" to distribute free fruit and vegetables to children.

-- Elimination of the "whole milk requirement," replacing it with a requirement to offer milk in a variety of fat contents and flavors.

--Creation of a "local school wellness" program that prompts schools to look at nutrition, physical education, and other activities to find ways to promote "wellness."

"The American Heart Association is pleased that this bill does so much to improve nutrition programs in our nation's schools," said Lichtenstein. "And we are also encouraged that the bill calls for a study into the competitive food program issue and hope that congress moves toward implementing regulations on such products in the school setting in the future. We also look forward to working with the Senate to pass this bill as soon as possible."

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