Child Nutrition and Wellness

Childhood obesity has become a health issue of epidemic proportions. Between the late 1970s and 2000, the percentage of children ages 6 to 11 that were overweight more than doubled, and the percentage of adolescents ages 12 to 19 that were overweight tripled, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Many children who are considered to be of a healthy weight are suffering from malnutrition, with as few as 2 percent of them eating a nutritious diet (as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA]). To address these and many other issues, Congress passed the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-265), which included program reauthorizations for the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, the Summer Food Service Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the Nutrition Education and Training Program.

Child Wellness

The number of overweight children has increased significantly since the late 1970s, and many children who are considered to be of a healthy weight are suffering from malnutrition. Children’s diets have an overabundance of refined sugars, saturated and trans fats, and salt, and at the same time, are grossly lacking in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and necessary vitamins and minerals such as calcium. These factors, combined with children’s inactivity, are contributing to increased risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, and other serious diseases. One-quarter of children between the ages of 5 and 10 have high blood pressure, elevated blood cholesterol levels, or other early warning signs for heart disease. Because of the number of children diagnosed with it, type 2 diabetes can no longer be called adult-onset diabetes. The rise in poor nutrition, inactivity, and weight problems is negatively affecting not only children’s health but also their academic achievement. Investing in child nutrition and wellness programs reduces future expenses for problems associated with poor nutrition and low academic achievement, such as school dropout, unemployment, and preventable health problems.

National PTA has long sought to improve child nutrition and wellness, as well as health and fitness programs. National PTA successfully fought for the inclusion of language mandating the creation of local school wellness policies in the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Section 204). These wellness policies, which need to be in place no later than the first day of the 2006–2007 school year, give parents, students, school nutrition representatives, school board members, school administrators, and the general public the opportunity to formulate local policies that are tailored to the specific needs and limitations of their communities.

Child Nutrition

Since the enactment of the National School Lunch Act in 1946 and the Child Nutrition Act in 1966, our nation has created a network of successful and cost-effective anti-hunger programs. Originally enacted as a matter of national security, after many World War II military recruits were found to be undernourished, these programs now improve the quality of life for millions of Americans. These programs ensure that children are well nourished, thus helping prepare children to learn every day and increasing children’s chances for equal education opportunities. National PTA helped enact the original legislation and has fought to improve these programs ever since.

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 reauthorized the following programs:

• The National School Lunch Program, a federally assisted meals program operating in more than 99,800 public and nonprofit private schools and residential child-care institutions. The program provides nutritionally balanced low-cost or free lunches to more than 26 million children each school day. In 1998, Congress expanded the National School Lunch Program to include reimbursement for snacks served to children (through age 18) in after-school educational and enrichment programs.
• The School Breakfast Program, a federally assisted meals program operating in more than 78,000 public and nonprofit private schools and residential child-care institutions. At the federal level, the program is administered by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. At the state level, the program is usually administered by state education agencies, which operate the program through agreements with local school food authorities. On average, 8.4 million children participate in the program every day.
• The Child and Adult Care Food Program, a federal program that each day provides healthy meals and snacks to 2.9 million children and 86,000 adults receiving day care. The program reimburses participating centers and day-care homes for their meal costs. At the federal level, the program is administered by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. The state education or health department administers the program in most states. Independent centers and sponsoring organizations enter into agreements with their state agencies to operate the program.
• The Summer Food Service Program, a federal program that ensures that children in lower-income areas, who receive free and reduced-price meals during the school year, continue to receive nutritious meals during long school vacations, when they do not have access to school lunch or breakfast.
• The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), a federal program that provides nutritious free food benefits directly to more than 7.6 million qualified pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children. The mission of the program is to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, nutrition education, and referrals to health care and other social services.
• The Nutrition Education and Training Program, a federal program that provides information to teachers and school food service personnel to help them teach children about nutritious food and good health.

The School Lunch, School Breakfast, Child and Adult Care Food, and Summer Food Service programs are permanently authorized entitlement programs. Federal funds are provided to cover all who meet the eligibility criteria defined in the law. Payments for school meals go directly to the schools and institutions—not to students—and provide the basic support needed to operate these programs. Without this support, schools would not be able to offer these vital programs.

National PTA supports federal efforts to improve child nutrition and wellness. National PTA supports legislation that updates, expands participation in, and enhances the nutritional quality of child nutrition programs. Specific priorities include increasing promotion of universal meals programs and reducing the administrative and paperwork barriers that limit participation; updating regulations governing school meals programs so they reflect current science and health trends; advocating for parent involvement in school wellness councils and other committees working to improve school meals programs; and encouraging parents to play a more active role in educating their children about nutrition and healthy food choices. National PTA opposes child nutrition block grants and other proposals that would threaten the availability of funds for programs that feed hungry children. Existing child nutrition programs promote overall nutrition and wellness, prepare children for learning, and improve children’s school attendance and behavior.

Talking Points

• Millions of children depend on federal nutrition programs to provide up to one-half of their nutrient intake per day.
• Adequate nutrition improves school attendance, learning, behavior, and productivity. Hungry children cannot learn.
• Payments for school meals go directly to the schools and institutions—not to students—and provide the basic support needed to operate these programs. Without this support, schools would not be able to offer these vital programs—and children who rely on these programs would be put at a disadvantage.
• School meal reimbursements have fallen far behind the costs of production, which makes it difficult to maintain the high-quality nutrition standards established in law.
• To better address the health and wellness needs of all children, regulations governing school meals programs must reflect current science and health trends.

Parents should be the principal voice sending messages to their children about nutrition and healthy food choices.