CHICAGO A joint position statement by the American Dietetic Association, Society for Nutrition Education and American School Food Service Association urges that comprehensive nutrition services be provided to all the nations schools to educate children and help them develop healthful eating habits for life. The full paper, Nutrition services: An essential component of comprehensive school health programs, is published in the April Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

The position statement is as follows:
It is the position of the American Dietetic Association, the Society for Nutrition Education and the American School Food Service Association that comprehensive nutrition services must be provided to all of the nations preschool through grade twelve students. These nutrition services shall be integrated with a coordinated, comprehensive school health program and implemented through a school nutrition policy. The policy should link comprehensive, sequential nutrition education; access to and promotion of child nutrition programs providing nutritious meals and snacks in the school environment; and family, community and health services partnerships supporting positive health outcomes for all children.

The fact that three leading national nutrition organizations are coming together on this issue demonstrates the degree to which we feel schools influence the development of life-long balanced nutritional and physical activity habits for children, said registered dietitian and ADA President Julie OSullivan Maillet. Childhood obesity is at an all-time high and schools can play a key role in reversing this trend through coordinated nutrition services.

ASFSA members have long worked towards implementing district-wide nutrition policies and creating healthy school nutrition environments that send a consistent message to children about making healthy eating choices, said Gaye Lynn MacDonald, ASFSA president. This position paper provides
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Contact: Bridget McManamon
bmcmana@eatright.org
312-899-4769
American Dietetic Association
8-Apr-2003

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