# Presentation: 918618

## Planting the Seeds for a Healthy Future  Nutrition and Job Corps

- Planting the Seeds for a Healthy Future * **Nutrition and Job Corps*

- Julie A. Luht, MPH, CHES

## Overview

- Nutrition in public schools
- Strides on Job Corps centers
- What you can do at your center

## Nutrition in SchoolsSchool Policies 

- USDA sets nutrient standards for specific age groups
- Schools going beyond recommendations
- Appleton Area School District
- LUNCHPOWER!
- School visits

**Notes:**
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets nutrient standards for specific age groups.  Schools receiving government subsidies must abide by these standards when foods are averaged over the course of a week.  Lunches served to students in grades 7-12, the closest approximation to the age of Job Corps students, must: 
i. Not exceed more than 30 percent of calories from fat
ii. Not exceed more than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat
iii. Contain at least 633 calories
iv. Contain at least 9 g of protein
v.  Contain at least 267 mg of calcium
vi.  Contain at least 3.3 mg of iron
vii.  Contain at least 200 RE Vitamin A, and 
viii. Contain at least 15 mg of Vitamin C

Appleton Area School District, Appleton Wisconsin:
Eliminate soda, Milk and juice available, No fryers, Meals served will have no more than 30% of calories from fat and 10% saturated fat. Nuts and seeds are exempt, Encourage the consumption of nutrient dense foods, i.e., whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables, No candy allowed- Candy is defined as any item with sugar as one of its first two ingredients
No iceberg lettuce, salad bars contain lots of vegetables, fruit salad, diced eggs, homemade apple sauce, seeds, nuts, Vending sales of candy and soda are not permitted.

Since implementing this program, teachers Appleton Area schools report that students have an increased ability to concentrate in the school setting, show more on-task behavior, have increased cognitive development, have fewer health complaints, are less moody, and have seen less dropouts and expulsions. 

A successful study entitled LUNCHPOWER!  modified the fat and sodium content of menu items to fit food policies for four school districts in Minnesota.[1]  They were still able to keep pizza, burgers, and other crowd-pleasing foods on the menu.  Some of their modifications included:
i. Drain and rinse (with hot water) cooked ground meat
ii. Select lower fat cheeses and processed chicken products
iii. Select lower fat and lower sodium pizzas and hot dogs
iv. Use low-fat gravy recipes
v.  Season with herbs instead of salt or fat
vi.  Bake rather than frying potato products
vii.  Reduce the fat and sodium in cookie, muffin and cake recipes
viii. Eliminate spreads, such as butter or mayonnaise, on sandwiches and replace them with lower calorie condiments 
[1] Snyder MP, Story M, et al. Reducing fat and sodium content in school lunch programs: the LUNCHPOWER! Intervention Study. JADA. 1992;92:1087-1091. 

## On May 3rd, 2006 the Alliance for a Healthier Generation announced an agreement with beverage companies to sell only lower calorie and nutritious beverages to schools. 

- On May 3rd, 2006 the Alliance for a Healthier Generation announced an agreement with beverage companies to sell only lower calorie and nutritious beverages to schools.
- Will snack machine changes soon follow?

- http://www.healthiergeneration.org/

**Notes:**
Collaboration between the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association
Cap calories to 100 per container, except for certain milk and juice products with a high nutritional value
Portion sizes of beverages vary between elementary, middle, and high schools
The beverage industry will work to implement these guidelines to 75% of schools by 2008-2009 school year and fully implement by 2009-2010

## The CHIPS Study

- Four levels of pricing, three levels of signage
- Promotion of low-fat snacks was associated with greater low-fat snack sales
- Customers bought more snacks when prices were reduced by 25% or 50%.

- French SA, et al. Pricing and promotion effects on low-fat vending snack purchases: The CHIPS study. Amer Jour of Pub Health. 2001;91:112—117.

**Notes:**
This randomized trail study examined the effect of pricing and use of signage on sales of low-fat and regular vending machine snacks at 12 worksites and 12 schools in Minneapolis- St. Paul. Low-fat snacks were defined as snacks with 3 g or less fat per package.  About 17% of the snacks available were low-fat. 

There were four levels of pricing:
 Same price
 10% price reduction on low fat snacks
 25% price reduction on low fat snacks
 50% price reduction on low fat snacks

Three levels of signage included:
No sign
Signs labeling low-fat snacks
Signs placed on vending machines encouraging a low-fat snack choice w. signs identifying which snacks are low-fat 

The label plus sign condition was was significantly different from the other two signage promotions.

“A small, 10% price reduction increased the percentage of snacks sold that were low fat without increasing the absolute number of low-fat snacks sold or the total sales volume.  This finding suggests that customers may have been substituting a low fat snack for a regular snack, a positive result from a public health promotion perspective. However, when prices were reduced by 25% or 50%, the absolute number of low-fat snacks sold increased, as did the total sales volume in the 50% price reduction condition. This finding suggests that customers may have been increasing the number of snacks they purchased from the vending machine.” 

## Making it Happen

- _[http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/nutrition/Making-It-Happen](http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/nutrition/Making-It-Happen)__/_

- Centers for Disease Control
- and Prevention (CDC)
- Making it Happen!
- School Nutrition Success Stories

## What are Job Corps centers doing?

## Teamwork

- Collaboration between the HWM, wellness staff members, food service manager, culinary arts instructor, recreation manager, and administration
- Food Service Committees collaborate with Wellness Committees
- Staff members eat in the cafeteria and make healthy eating choices

## Community Resources

- Community resources for healthy programming include:
- Weight management programs such as Weight Watchers and Curves
- Local school districts
- County, state, and national programs
- Communicate the desire to offer healthy menu items with suppliers
- Food service distribution companies
- Menu planning resources

**Notes:**
Community resources include
Weight management programs such as Weight Watcher’s and Curves
 For example JC in NYC are eligible for NYC healthy lunch programs. Some center staff have toured local schools that have made a change. 
Take advantage of local and national resources and how-to guides. For example, the Miami Job Corps center has conducted extensive research and found information through the Florida Obesity Prevention Program, the Florida Partnership for Promoting Physical Activity and Healthful Nutrition and the Florida Interagency Food and Nutrition Committee 2005 Resource Manual. Similar resources probably exist in your area. Local hospitals and health agencies are also great resources. 

## Explore Purchasing Options

- Use multiple vendors to encourage competition
- Local vendors, such as bakeries, supply fresh items
- Substitute whole, fresh items for expensive processed foods

## Education and Marketing

- Nutrition education
- Involve students in nutrition and menu planning
- Appeal to staff as well as students
- Use innovative marketing strategies
- Display nutrition information above food choices and at the entrance to the cafeteria
- Make foods look appealing

## Lunch at Delaware Valley JCC

- Lunch at Delaware Valley JCC

## Portion Control

- Offer small portions of calorie dense food (e.g., individual pats of butter).
- Use small scoops to reduce portions of salad dressings, soups, etc.
- Serve smaller portions of entrees when students come through the serving line.
- Controlling portions saves money!

## You can make changes. 

## Which would you choose?

- or

- You are a role model- for worse or for better.

## Producing Change at Your Center

- Understand what you are looking for and why.
- Prepare with research.
- Believe in what you are saying.
- Give reasons for wanting a change. Back up your reasons with examples.
- Suggest ways of improving lunches and vending sales.
- Volunteer to be part of the change.

- Adopted from: Nutritional Resource Foundation, Nutritional Fresh Whole Food Guidelines, _[www.naturalovens.com](http://www.naturalovens.com/)__ _