In a move that could signal a serious fault line in the argument for more vegetables as a tonic for childhood obesity, drafters of “Healthy Schools” legislation pending before the D.C. Council have skuttled a push for additional produce in school meals after school officials said they cannot guarantee their kitchens can prepare vegetables that kids will [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Wellness'
Sorry, We Can’t Cook: D.C. Schools Say ‘No’ to More Vegetables
March 18th, 2010 · 7 Comments · Tales, Wellness, kids
New Study: Kids Who Eat School Food Are Fatter
March 16th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Tales, Wellness, food news, kids
A new study from the University of Michigan finds that kids who eat the food served in schools are more likely to be overweight or obese than peers who bring lunch from home, and also are more likely to suffer from high levels of “bad” cholesterol.
The study, which examined the eating habits of some 1,300 Michigan [...]
Tags: obesity·school food
It’s Not the Burgers, Mr. President, It’s the Buns
March 2nd, 2010 · 4 Comments · Wellness
It must have come as a surprise to many that a president as young and vigorous as Barack Obama could be experiencing cholesterol issues, as reported this week. But even more surprising is the misinformation being doled out by the people around him about the likely causes. “Too many burgers,” came the ready explanation. More likely, [...]
Tags: carbohydrates·cholesterol·fat·Obama
“Healthy Schools” Hearing Moved to March
February 9th, 2010 · No Comments · Wellness, kids
Because of the interminable snow falling here in the District of Columbia (apparently, we are now second-snowiest city in the country) the public hearing on “Healthy Schools” legislation in the D.C. Council previoulsy scheduled for tomorrow has been moved to the next earliest available hearing date, March 26. That’s 11 a.m. in room 500 of [...]
Tags: "Healthy Schools"·school food
Local Food In “Healthy Schools”: The Debate Begins
January 6th, 2010 · 3 Comments · Sustainability, Wellness, kids
Today’s guest post on “Healthy Schools” legislation recently introduced in the D.C. Council is written by Andrea Northup, executive director of the D.C. Farm to School Network, and cross-posted from the DC Food for All blog. I edited the piece and contributed some of the text. On January 12, Andrea will be conducting a “webinar” [...]
Tags: District of Columbia·schools
Is Phys Ed The Death Of Learning?
December 29th, 2009 · No Comments · Wellness, kids
It may just be impossible to take seriously what Washington Post reporters write in their blogs.
Jay Mathews, the Post’s education reporter, says the “Healthy Schools” initiative introduced recently in the D.C. Council makes a big mistake by requiring the city’s children to engage in more physical activity. How, Matthews wonders, will they ever have time [...]
A Landmark Vision For “Healthy Schools”
December 16th, 2009 · No Comments · Sustainability, Wellness, kids
In an 18-page white paper to colleagues, D.C. Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) yesterday outlined a sweeping legislative vision for combating childhood obesity and poverty-related hunger in the city through an expansion of free school meals, upgraded nutritional requirements, greater access to locally-grown fruits and vegetables and increased physical activity.
Among the issues Cheh said her recently [...]
Tags: child nutrition·District of Columbia·local food·obestity·Wellness
“Healthy Schools”: Where’s The Money?
December 15th, 2009 · 5 Comments · Wellness, kids
With all the complaining about bad school food and kids becoming obese, it’s the rare local government that actually steps forward to pay for improving school food beyond what the federal government subsidizes, currently $2.68 per meal, an amount experts agree is woefully inadequate to serve truly healthful food.
The “Healthy Schools” legislation introduced last week in [...]
“Healthy Schools” Means More Physical Exercise
December 14th, 2009 · No Comments · Wellness, kids
Free breakfast. No sodas. More vegetables. Physical exercise.
These are the cornerstones of sweeping “Healthy Schools” legislation (previous posts here, here, here and here) introduced last week in the D.C. Council. Parents and nutritionists across the country have watched with alarm in recent years as children have become increasingly obese and even fallen victim to adult diseases such [...]
“Healthy Schools” Pushes Food Gardening
December 13th, 2009 · 3 Comments · Sustainability, Wellness, garden, kids
“Healthy Schools” legislation introduced this week in the D.C. Council would, for the first time, establish a school gardens program within the Office of the State Superintenent of Education as part of a sweeping package of food and environmental initiatives. And while the bill ( read previous posts here, here and here) does not mandate gardens [...]
We are engaging the concerns of a hungry planet--slowly--right here in our kitchen garden in the District of Columbia, one mile from the White House.
