We had reason to believe we have a serious problem here. The program was a remarkable success. A follow-up random test performed a year later found only one student out of 22 participants tested as anemic. Rowan said the direct cause of childhood anemia is a blend of factors lack of food and poor food choices. Under a federal order to cut fat and boost nutrition, school systems across the nation are engaged in a daily struggle to balance food that is good for students with what they will actually eat.
New guidelines require school lunches to provide one-third of a student's daily iron intake.
Breakfast meals are meant to provide a fourth of the requirement. The district, which serves meals to about 40 percent of the students, recently passed a state program review. They're serving fresher and higher-fiber foods. While school meals may be nutritious, health officials worry about all the non-school meals consumed, including the majority of the students who never eat school lunches at all. It breaks your heart.