By Taylor Pate
No Kid Hungry Youth Ambassador
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act has been a source of contention and debate since its implementation in 2010. Its focus was to improve child nutrition in schools in order to promote healthy food choices early on. The U. S. House of Representatives recently proposed a bill that would allow schools to waive the standards for a year so that they could get their programs in order: (http://appropriations.house.gov/uploadedfiles/bills-113hr-fc-ap-fy2015-ap00-agriculture.pdf). My question is this: would this year allow schools to actually become more efficient with their programs if they aren’t actually implementing the new guidelines? It seems that this would be a more regressive step in the process.
National Public Radio reported that the School Nutrition Association (SNA) did not originally ask for these waivers, but rather for support, to aid their programs. Now, the SNA is making the argument that these stricter regulations are making it more difficult for members to comply. This may be attributed to the influence of corporate lobbyists. In response, the Senate amended its agriculture appropriations bill so that all programs wouldn’t be required to waive the standards. This amendment can be seen here: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rulesforengagement/senatelunchammendment.pdf. My worry is that if this waiver is granted, further steps could be taken to nix the new standards altogether, reverting back to the unhealthy practices that were formerly acceptable in the school system. Rather than beating around the bush and granting this waiver, it may be more advantageous for the health of our children to have school nutrition directors seek help from their state officials and the USDA.
Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign asserts that children that don’t get enough nutritious foods have much higher levels of behavioral, emotional, and academic problems. We believe the No Kid Hungry campaign position, “increasing access to healthy food where children live, learn, and play,” lays a strong foundation for present and future health. With 17% of children and adolescents that are obese in the United States― and around 14% in Arkansas―we may want to re-evaluate whether or not this waiver will help or further hurt our children in the long run.
1. http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/healthy-hunger-free-kids-act
2. http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/06/04/33foodfight.h33.html
4 http://www.nokidhungry.org/pdfs/school-breakfast-white-paper.pdf
5 http://www.fitness.gov/eat-healthy/why-is-it-important/
6 http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/stateprograms/fundedstates/pdf/arkansas-state-profile.pdf