ASFSA Issues Statement on Healthy Childhood Weight.

Business, Food & Education Editors

ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 21, 2002

Recognizing that the percentage of American children who are overweight has doubled in the past 20-30 years, the American School Food Service Association (ASFSA) will initiate and support collaborative efforts

ASFSA's position statement describes the epidemic proportions to which childhood obesity has grown with 4.7 million children aged 6 - 17 currently overweight or obese. Obesity is defined as an excessive accumulation of body fat and is present when total body weight is more than 25 percent fat in boys and more than 32 percent fat in girls. Obesity in children can increase the risk of coronary heart disease, increase stress on the weight-bearing joints, lower self-esteem, and affect relationships with peers. In addition to genetics, eating habits and physical activity are important factors in the childhood weight equation.

Much of the increase in childhood obesity is attributed to decreased physical activity and over consumption of high calorie foods. Schools can play a key role in addressing the epidemic of obesity among young people. Schools are a logical place to promote lifelong healthy behaviors. Every school day 50 million young people attend more than 110,000 schools in the United States. Research has shown that well-designed, well-implemented school-based physical activity and nutrition programs can be effective in promoting healthy lifestyles among children.

"Today's statement builds on ASFSA's fifty-six years of feeding and caring for America's school children," said ASFSA President Gaye Lynn MacDonald. Association members on the national, state and local level are committed to working with all school and community stakeholders by pursuing the following:

-- Supporting a coordinated approach to child health that includes nutrition education, physical education and classroom instruction.

-- Promoting the cafeteria as a learning laboratory for healthy eating habits.

-- Encouraging nutrition education designed for the child as well as the family.

-- Supporting legislation, that promotes uniform, adequately funded programs to ensure optimum nutrition for every student Supporting training programs for school nutrition professionals using "Changing the Scene"

Supporting the recommendations for schools in the Surgeon General's Call Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity.

ASFSA (http://www.asfsa.org) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing more than 55,000 members who provide high-quality, low-cost meals to students across the country. The association and its members are dedicated to feeding children safe and nutritious meals. Founded in 1946, ASFSA is the only association devoted exclusively to protecting and enhancing children's health and well being through school meals and sound nutrition education.