Schools shape up
Educators cut the fat as children become more overweight
By SARAH ROHRS/Times-Herald staff writer
Vallejo Times Herald
Bethel High School student Rodney Castaneda cut junk food from his diet after he saw "Super Size Me," a satirical movie about the fast food industry and its harmful health effects.
Since the Vallejo teen swore off KFC and McDonald's, he has sought support for his new eating habits from a surprising source - the school cafeteria.
School meals as health food are a change from the norm. Historically, schools have served up endless ladles of fattening, unhealthy food - sodas, chips, burgers, fish sticks, hot dogs, fries and candy.
With more than one in four children overweight and childhood obesity rates sky-rocketing, schools are trying to take their place on the healthy food and fitness bandwagon.
That effort is particularly important in Vallejo where childhood obesity rates are above county averages.
State laws require schools to remake meals with more wholesome ingredients, and assure that kids spend the state-mandated amount of time in physical education classes.
Bethel's new lunch court reflects the changing tide - teens can pick from chicken teriyaki bowls, chef salads, spaghetti, pears, baby carrots, fruit drinks and milk. Hogan High School's serves similar fare, and Vallejo High School's new lunch court is under construction to prepare for new menus.
Castaneda likes the changes, and said the new cafeteria food is "way better than it was before."
Obesity rates rising
Some 28 percent of Solano's children were overweight in 2004, a 1.5 percent increase in three years, according to the Children & Weight Coalition of Solano County.
Vallejo's obesity rates are higher - at least 30 percent of the city's children are considered obese, with another 15 percent at risk, said Patricia Gahagan, Kaiser Permanente pediatric nurse practitioner who serves on a school district wellness task force.
In the last three decades, the prevalence of overweight children, aged 6-11, has more than tripled, and more than doubled in adolescents, a study by Public Health Advocacy noted.
Low-income children may be particularly at risk. The percentage of overweight children, ages 3 and 4, in Head Start preschool programs is nearly double that of similar children statewide, said Child Start nutrition specialist Judi Behnken.
The health impacts on children can be serious - type 2 diabetes, plus asthma and knee and other orthopedic problems. Overweight children are also at risk for high blood pressure and high cholesterol and are more likely to have low self-esteem, be depressed, and engage in eating disorders later in life, experts said.
Solano County supervising physical health nutritionist Kathy DeMaggio said her biggest worry is that children are not physically active.
Can't run a mile
State tests show that between 45-50 percent of Solano children in grades 5,7, and 9 cannot complete the aerobic portion of the test. In Vallejo, between 56-60 percent of children in the same grades are unfit.
"I don't worry so much about the physically fit kid who may be overweight. Now, we're seeing kids who can't even run a mile in the sixth grade," she said.
Adults aren't doing much better. Some 22.7 percent of California's adults are overweight and the state ranks 30th nationally, according to a Trust for America's Health study released last month.
Kaiser Permanente pediatric nurse practitioner Patricia Gahagan said the vast number of overweight children is frightening.
"You're going to see a lot of changes in the future in terms of really looking at what we're putting in our bodies and what we can do differently in terms of curing the epidemic," she said.
Because children spend so much of their day in school, they are targeted for reforms.
With 1 in 3 California children overweight and 40 percent physically unfit, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pushed legislation and funding to encourage schools to encourage healthy lifestyles.
To meet the state laws, school districts are pulling together coalitions to write mandated wellness policies which outline fitness strategies to teach children. Such a coalition began meeting in Vallejo in March.
Under the new mandates, cafeterias and vending machines must be cleared of sugary sodas and replaced with such items as fruit-sweetened Vitamin Water, bottled water or drinks containing juice.
In addition, community service clubs may only sell food items on school campuses that meet the new guidelines, and limits will be made on birthday cakes and other classroom treats.
For the rest of this year, task force members will discuss how to encourage healthy lifestyles including possible public awareness campaigns, health education classes, and advising parents on types of healthy snacks to bring to school functions. The task force has teamed up with Fighting Back's Synergy Partnership.
"With everyone working together and adults serving as role models, we can all contribute in making good changes for kids," said district coordinator of health services Vanita Finney, a task force member.
What teens want
Fighting Back Youth Partnership teens advised the district on what menu changes they want. Teen Symone McDaniels said youth would eat better with more options, and if fruits and vegetables were prepared in more appetizing ways.
Meanwhile, teen Phillip Wilson suggested fast food ads be replaced with images showing it's cool to eat well and get enough exercise.
McDaniels said children need help early in life.
"Part of the problem is not that the food is bad, but it's that kids don't want to change. If you reach kids when they are younger, they'll want to eat better when they get older," she said.
But, no matter how much healthy food schools offer, some kids may still clamor for fast food. Bethel freshman Mohammad Alkurdi said he doesn't like the new cafeteria fare and prefers Taco Bell or Burger King for lunch.
"The healthier the food, the worse it tastes," he said.
Choosing spaghetti and fruit from the lunch court, freshman Marissa Bugarin said she's not sure the new school foods will make a difference. She's noticed kids bring in their own food, including large bags of Ruffles potato chips and Cheetos for lunch.
Recipe for change
The district hopes the positive changes will stick with students outside of school, district director of student nutrition and warehouse services Kerri Braverman said.
If kids try healthy drinks and food at school and like them, their parents may buy and serve them at home, she said.
Some school cafeteria food items might seem unhealthy, though district officials insist they meet nutrition guidelines. While burgers, burritos and pizzas contain large percentages of fat and salt, they still meet state fat and calorie content standards, Braverman said.
Under the guidelines, no food serving can have more than 30 percent of its calories stemming from fat. A pizza slice comes in at 28 percent, and a burrito 20 percent. Braverman said the cheese and pepperoni are low-fat and the crust is made with soy and whole wheat flour.
High school students can choose from an a la carte menu, but middle and elementary students get one set meal daily. Over this year, changes will be made in these areas to assure meals do not exceed fat, sugar and caloric guidelines set by the state, district officials said.
Elementary school menus contain such items as cereal, cinnamon rolls, hamburgers and cheese sticks, but school officials insist these aren't unhealthy since they, too, fall under government nutrition guidelines. These meals also come with milk, and baby carrots, pears, or orange slices.
The law regulating food, SB 12, goes into effect July 1. A bill prohibiting the sale of carbonated sodas goes into effect in 2009.
Benicia schools have already removed sodas, and made other changes to the school menu, district officials said. A wellness policy is in the works, said district trustee Jeanne Steinmann.
Getting active
Besides revamping school lunches, state laws require schools offer health education classes, and also provide 200 minutes of physical education every 10 days.
In many California schools, cuts in physical education mean that kids have done little more than warm the bleachers or engage in free time during gym classes. Earlier this year, the state found many districts fail to give kids the required minutes.
The task force's aim will likely be to ensure students are getting rigorous exercise as well as instruction on staying active, district spokeswoman Tish Busselle said.
Vallejo district coordinator of student support services Susan Craig said what's desired is that children enjoy getting and staying fit.
"We're hoping to develop an enjoyment of activity (in youth), so that when they go home they'll want to engage in activities rather than watch television or play video games," Craig said.
Vallejo High School physical education teacher Tamara Madson, a wellness task force member, said elementary and secondary schools are doing an adequate job meeting the minute requirements.
Madson said schools can only do so much to get students to embrace healthy lifestyles.
"Physical activity is below what I'd like to see. It's not just a professional standpoint, it's a personal standpoint. I'd like to see the kids have more control of their health," Madson said.
McDaniels of Fighting Back's Youth Partnership said kids might not participate in physical education if they can't afford the gym uniforms, or lack time to change into gym suits.
Kaiser Permanente Medical Center pediatrician Steven Chun said school menu changes are a good indication schools are trying to help stem the childhood obesity tide.
"What schools are trying to do is recognize their role in physical fitness and in the cultural things that allow kids to get more calories than what they need each day," Chun said.
Childhood Obesity