Serving safe food is a critical responsibility for maintaining quality foodservice programs and healthy environments at schools and child care facilities. Child Nutrition Programs hopes you find this newsletter of assistance when reviewing the food safety program you have at each serving site. The articles contained in this issue are: (1) A…

World Diabetes Day (November 14) offers a wonderful opportunity to educate elementary children about the power they have to control their health. First lady Michelle Obama has urged Americans to educate themselves about childhood obesity, which is often associated with the onset of type II diabetes (Rabin 2010). The authors developed activities to…

Objective: The purpose of this project was to develop and test whole-grain continuing education for school foodservice personnel. Methods: A continuing education program was developed to address planning, purchasing, preparing, and serving whole-grain food in schools. Participants completed a pre-post questionnaire to assess changes in knowledge,…

This dissertation evaluates the impact of elementary school policies on child health behaviors and obesity in the United States. Two chapters address nutrition policies, two chapters address physical activity policies, and a final chapter estimates the health care cost savings associated with a decline in childhood obesity prevalence. The use of…

The Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK), a national non-profit group that addresses childhood obesity, released a special report warning that schools still need improvements to the quality of the foods they serve and the amount of physical activity opportunities they offer American children. The report also outlines a significant obstacle--most school…

Concerns about child obesity have raised questions about the quality of meals served in the National School Lunch Program. Local, State, and Federal policymakers responded to these concerns beginning in the mid-1990s by instituting a range of policies and standards to improve the quality of U.S. Department of Agriculture-subsidized meals. Schools…

Concerns about child obesity have raised questions about the quality of meals served in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Local, State, and Federal policymakers responded to these concerns beginning in the mid-1990s by instituting a range of policies and standards to improve the quality of USDA-subsidized meals. While most of USDA's…

"Child Care Health Connections" is a bimonthly newsletter published by the California Childcare Health Program (CCHP), a community-based program of the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing, Department of Family Health Care Nursing. The goals of the newsletter are to promote and support a healthy and safe environment for all…

Statements were presented by: Honorable Tom Harkin, Chairman, U.S. Senator from Iowa, Chairman, Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Honorable Robert B. Casey, Jr., U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania; Honorable Saxby Chambliss, U.S. Senator from Georgia; Honorable Richard G. Lugar; Honorable Ken Salazar, U.S. Senator from Colorado; Kelly…

Authorities offer conflicting viewpoints on whether animal foods are essential to the health of young children or whether they can ingest the nutrients they need from plant sources. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) contends that because of the small capacity of young children's stomachs, they are not likely to consume all of the…

In 1989, California launched a statewide child health initiative including components on nutrition, health education, physical education, health services, counseling and psychological services, school safety, health promotion for staff, and parent and community involvement. A sidebar explains what principals can do to improve children's nutrition…

This publication, which is based on the School Nutrition Dietary Assessment study, describes the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP), presents findings on the nutrients and foods provided in school meals, and describes the dietary intakes of the nation's students on a typical school day. Data were derived…

This book, sponsored by a group called Mothers & Others for a Livable Planet, shows parents and others why they should care about the way food is grown in America, how the food production system needs to be changed, and ways to make it better for their families and communities. Chapter 1 details why the current food production system needs to…

Explains the new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid, which can help children and adults visualize the basics of sound nutrition. The pyramid chart places five food groups from top to bottom in inverse proportion to the number of servings that should be consumed. Special symbols are used to indicate fat content and added…

Reviews Food Guide Pyramid for fruits and vegetables for 2- to 6-year-old children. Identifies standard of five daily servings, defines children's portion sizes, presents guidelines for choosing appropriate foods, and suggests learning activities that use fruits and vegetables. Recommends 31 children's books about fruits and vegetables. (DLH)