By Kate E. Salute
The 2005-06 school year is the third in a four-year program to wean students off their traditional lunchroom fare of pizza bagels and greasy fries to a more health-conscious menu. The several years this will take has been carefully calculated. "We don't want to shock them," joked Norma Console, director of food services.
To that end, the district has established a Wellness Committee that will oversee the implementation of this new policy. It will also encourage participation in physical activities, such as intramurals and after-school sports, as part of the mission to create a healthier school district.
It's been a long time coming. The federal Centers for Disease Control reports that the percentage of overweight people in New York state has steadily increased, from less than 10 percent in 1985 to nearly 25 percent in 2002. And according to a portion of the tentative preamble to the Long Beach City School District's Wellness Policies on Physical Activity and Nutrition, "Obesity rates have doubled in children ... over the past two decades, and physical inactivity and excessive calorie intake are the predominant causes of obesity; 33 percent of high school students do not participate in sufficient vigorous physical activity and 72 percent of high school students do not attend daily physical education classes; only 2 percent of children (2 to 19 years) eat a healthy diet consistent with the five main recommendations from the Food Guide Pyramid."
That is about to change. Helen Cheliotes, the district's assistant superintendent for curriculum and health, said, "We have to have the policy ready to be presented to the board in March. It has to be adopted and in place by September 2006."
"We are all concerned with the health, safety and nutrition of our youngsters as teachers and parents," said Robert Greenberg, superintendent of schools. "We want to help them create a healthier lifestyle for themselves and make healthy choices."
Not all schools have waited for federal guidelines. The Lido Elementary PTA has sponsored nutrition programs in the past. "It is a Lido PTA goal to educate the parents on nutrition - packing healthy lunches, exercise," said PTA president Joyce Lidder. Lidder feels that the creation of the Wellness Committee and the schools' dedication to creating a healthier, more nutrition-conscious school atmosphere are positive steps. "Nutrition is a very important issue, as is health," she added.
Lidder said she feels that a change to a nutrient-rich menu in elementary schools was a long time coming, citing the high schools' salad bars as something she would like to see in the elementary schools. "Pre-packaged salads for kids would be good," she said, "and fresh fruits like mandarines and apple slices in containers, since they can't really have a salad bar like the high school."
"We try to give [the students] healthy choices that they like," said Director of Food Services Norma Console. "We've already implemented some nutrition guidelines over the past two years." Specifically, she said, "no more BLTs. No more bacon. No more french fries - unless they are baked. All whole-wheat bread - we've eliminated white bread completely, which they weren't happy with at first but it's become something they accept. We'll only serve 1 percent milk. Salad bars, fresh fruit and canned fruit - they can take as much as they want. This year there will be a deli bar where sandwiches are made to order. In the elementary schools there is 100 percent juice, [and] we have a variety of milk - chocolate, strawberry, vanilla - and bottled water. No ice cream."
"What we really have to work on is snack[s]," said Console. According to the New York State School Food Service guidelines for moderate vending machine snacks and beverages, beverages must have less than 10 milligrams of caffeine per serving and 15 grams or less of sugar (non-diet soda averages 43 grams of sugar per can). Furthermore, a moderate snack is to contain 15 grams of sugar or less, 360 mg of sodium or less and 7 grams of fat or less. "Soda vending machines are turned off for the entire school day [except for after-school programs]," Console said, "[and] soon 80 percent of the snacks in the schools will be baked. We're just waiting for the vendors to give us more options."
As far as costs go, "We are in the red," Console said. "Meaning that we lose money every year, and switching to a healthier menu will of course be more costly - a bag of potato chips is cheaper than a piece of fruit. We will see also an increase of costs because of the high price of gas, that will affect our shipping costs."
Arnold Epstein, the district's director of health, physical education and athletics and a co-chair of the Wellness Committee, said, "I think there is an obesity problem in the country, not just here. We have to continue to educate the kids to live in a proper way when it comes to nutrition, fitness and health in general."
Committee members include parents, high school students, teachers, school and district administration members, nurses, and a psychologist.
Comments about this story? KSalute @LIHerald.com or (516)569-4000 ext. 205.
