Childhood Obesity One Million Dollars to Help Get Junk Food Out Of Schools, Canada
26 Apr 2007
BC school children will benefit from faster, more effective implementation of directives around healthier food and beverage choices thanks to a $1 million investment by the BC Healthy Living Alliance, BCHLA Acting Chair Jean Blake announced today. The Dietitians of Canada BC Region will be the lead organization of this 'School Guidelines Support Initiative' which is one component of BCHLA's Healthy Eating Strategy.
"The Ministry of Education developed the
'Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools' to make schools healthier and ensure that our children have the energy to learn and achieve their best" said Minister of Education Shirley Bond. "We are pleased to have BC Healthy Living Alliance members on board to assist us in making sure that healthier choices are easier choices in BC schools."
Gordon Hogg, Minister of State for ActNow BC added "We want students to be sure that 'Every Move is a Good Move' as they choose healthy foods in BC schools. Replacing the 'Not recommended' food and beverage choices with more nutritious options will speed us toward our goal of being the healthiest population ever to host the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games."
"This initiative is positioned to shape the food and drink choices and habits of the next generation" said BCHLA Acting Chair Jean Blake. "For example, the evidence shows that reducing consumption of sugar sweetened beverages may be the single best opportunity to curb the childhood obesity epidemic.
"Looking at the trends in the data, we see an urgent need to speed this transition because of the role schools play in establishing and reinforcing norms" added Blake. "Public places that support healthy choices result in healthier populations. We hope to have the supports for schools in place by September 2007."
"Healthy eating is a vital part of learning" said Janice Macdonald, Regional Executive Director of the Dietitians of Canada, BC Region. "We are keen to continue to support the school community by providing information, resources, tools and links to community supports that will lead to a faster and happier implementation of the Province's 'Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools'."
The Dietitians of Canada BC Region, working closely with education partners, Dial-A-Dietitian, community nutritionists, and the provincial government, will assist schools in determining which foods are better choices for their vending machines, negotiating contracts with vendors, providing tips and advice for cafeterias, canteens and fundraisers and more.
The BC School Trustees Association President Penny Tees welcomed the support, "This is a great opportunity to improve nutrition and learning outcomes for students. School Boards are committed to working with Dietitians of Canada and our education partners to identify the best approaches for making this happen in schools across the province."
The BC Healthy Living Alliance is the largest health promotion team ever assembled in the history of BC. It was formed in 2003 with a mission to lead collaborative actions to promote physical activity, healthy eating and living smoke-free in order to improve the overall health of British Columbians. This $1 million investment in healthy eating is part of the $25.2 million provincial government grant made to the Alliance in March of 2006 to promote the goals of ActNow BC.
For more information on the BC Healthy Living Alliance visit:
http://www.bchealthyliving.ca http://www.dietitians.ca Childhood Obesity 
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