Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools Leading the Way Toward Healthier Youth (2007) / Chapter Skim
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5 Recommended Standards and Actions for Competitive Foods in Schools
5 Recommended Standards and Actions for Competitive Foods in Schools
Pages 117-140
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From page 117... ...
; • time of day that a standard applies (school day, after school) ; and • competitive food and beverage venues in the school (including use of à la carte versus other sales locations)
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From page 118... ...
Furthermore, the standards assure that each snack, food, and beverage item offered separately from the federally reimbursable school nutrition programs is consistent with the dietary pattern and specific nutrient recommendations of the DGA, and the committee's rationale for its application of the DGA is explained in the relevant sections of the text. The recommended nutrition standards are based on the assumption that meals are the primary nutrient and calorie source for children for the day.
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From page 119... ...
The second objective is to limit wherever possible, in all competitive foods and beverages offered at schools, food components that are not healthful when consumed in excess. Fats, sodium, added sugars, nonnutritive sweeteners, and caffeine were included.
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From page 120... ...
Types of Foods and Beerages Included in Tier These food and beverage types listed as "foods to encourage" are derived from those with a similar definition described in the DGA (DHHS/ USDA, 2005) : • Fruits and vegetables • 100-percent fruit and vegetable juices • Whole-grain products • Nonfat or low-fat dairy products Other foods and beverages are included as Tier 1: • Nuts and seeds (allowed as combination products as long as other nutrient standards are met; the fat content will not count against the total fat content of the product)
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From page 121... ...
Thus, increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains may be useful to achieve and manage a healthy weight. • Many 9- to 13-year-olds do not meet the DGA (DHHS/USDA, 2005)
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From page 122... ...
• Nonfat and low-fat yogurts may be offered, provided they contain no more than 30 grams of total sugars per 8-ounce serving (see "Added sugars information" below)
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From page 123... ...
In conjunction with their nutrient density, nuts and seeds are also energy dense, however nut and seed snack products are often high in sodium, and could contribute to excessive caloric and sodium intake. Nonfat and low-fat dairy products Nonfat and low-fat dairy products are Tier 1 foods because of the critical importance of calcium, particularly for adolescent girls for whom calcium consumption can have a critical impact on the likelihood of developing osteoporosis later in life.
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From page 124... ...
supports this by reporting that the offerings of the NSLP and SBP are reasonably nutritious and are improving in quality over time. The nutrient standards of the diet-based federally reimbursable school nutrition programs are not the same as those recommended in this report for individual competitive foods and beverages.
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From page 125... ...
• Less than 10 percent of total calories from saturated fats • Zero trans fat (≤ 0.5 g per portion) • 35 percent or less of calories from total sugars • Sodium content of 200 mg or less per portion as packaged
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From page 126... ...
The first is to encourage children to consume foods and beverages that are healthful -- fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat or low-fat dairy products. The second objective is, wherever possible in all competitive foods and beverages offered at schools, to limit food components that are either not healthful when consumed at levels exceeding the DGA or fall outside DGA recommendations.
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From page 127... ...
It should be noted that the committee considered setting the added sugars limit at 10 percent for individual foods, but it was determined that a 25 percent limit, with the exception of dairy products, would be more easily achieved, while still contributing to improvement in the eating patterns of school-age children. Recently, the contribution of added sugars from soft drinks, fruitades, and other sweetened fruit drinks to the total intake of added sugars in children's diets ranged from 35 to more than 50 percent.
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From page 128... ...
is viewed by the committee as an interim recommendation until added sugars information is more readily available to school foodservice operators. Added sugars information Ultimately, the committee urges USDA and school foodservice operators to require that food manufacturers selling their products to schools make information regarding added sugars available (see Action 2)
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From page 129... ...
In setting the proposed higher standards for dairy products, the committee attempted to set limits that are attainable while maintaining product palatability, and reducing intake of added sugars from these products. The total sugars limit for flavored milk, set at 22 grams per 8-ounce serving, will allow for about 10 grams of added sugars because the naturally occurring sugar content in nonfat and low-fat milk is about 12 grams (USDA, 2005)
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From page 130... ...
The exception to this recommendation for entrée items purchased à la carte reflects the fact that they generally represent greater portion sizes than the recommended calorie limit for snacks would allow; these entrée items are components of meals that meet USDA school meal nutrition standards and the FDA maximum sodium levels allowed for foods labeled as "healthy." Their inclusion allows greater flexibility for students with greater energy needs. Nonnutritive Sweeteners Standard 5: Beverages containing nonnutritive sweeteners are only allowed in high schools after the end of the school day.
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From page 131... ...
These additional choices may be useful for those who wish to control or maintain body weight; however, the use of nonnutritive sweeteners to provide lower calorie foods and beverages is not necessary to achieve weight control. The committee considered these issues in the context of developmental and social skills of school-age children and the public health concern of childhood obesity.
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From page 132... ...
The DGA does state that reduction of caloric intake is important in weight control; thus use of nonnutritive sweeteners could be a weight control strategy for some populations, but are not necessary to achieve this goal. Conclusion Based on the lack of evidence to evaluate efficacy and with an intention to avoid complexity of standards across age groups and times of day, the committee took a cautious approach in its recommendations and determined that nonnutritive sweeteners are limited to beverages for high school students after school, thus avoiding competition with and potential displacement of nutrient-rich products as part of school meals and snacks.
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From page 133... ...
There was a concern that children may not be able to distinguish between a nonnutritive sweetened food and a similar full-calorie food, which might encourage unintentional overconsumption of calories. Necessity Although nonnutritive sweeteners may increase palatability, thereby increasing the consumption of healthful foods, the potential increase in consumption may not be sufficient reason to include nonnutritive sweeteners in foods.
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From page 134... ...
As discussed in Chapter 2, the evidence supports the use of Tier 1 foods to • increase the current consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains by school-age children; • increase consumption of calcium-rich foods and beverages; • set standards for à la carte entrées that meet NSLP requirements or the recommended standards herein; and • reinforce innovation by industry to create food and dairy products more consistent with the DGA, thereby increasing healthful food choices for school-age children. The committee concludes that policies encouraging the sale of fruit-,
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From page 135... ...
In addition, if flavored or fortified waters are included, they may serve, in the committee's judgment, as implicit encouragement to produce more foods with nonnutritive components for children at the expense of the more heathful fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat and low-fat dairy products. Standard 9: Sports drinks are not available in the school setting except when provided by the school for student athletes participating in sport programs involving vigorous activity of more than one hour's duration.
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From page 136... ...
Standard 11: Minimize marketing of Tier 2 foods and beverages in the high school setting by • locating Tier 2 food and beverage distribution in low student traffic areas; and • ensuring that the exterior of vending machines does not depict commercial products or logos or suggest that consumption of vended items conveys a health or social benefit. Rationale The presence in some high schools of vending machines used to sell Tier 2 foods and beverages after school leaves open a marketing opportunity for industry to promote their products during the regular school day, even if these vending machines are only turned on at the end of the regular school day.
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From page 137... ...
Tier 2 foods and beverages provide for an expanded variety while still maintaining nutrition standards. Standard 13: For on-campus fund-raising activities during the school day, Tier 1 foods and beverages are allowed for elementary, middle, and high schools.
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From page 138... ...
Product information that is currently available to foodservice operators is not always sufficient to ensure that products meet nutrition standards. For example,
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From page 139... ...
CONCLUSION The federally reimbursable school nutrition programs traditionally have been an important means for ensuring that students have daily access to fruits, vegetables, whole-grain-based products, and nonfat or low-fat dairy products during the school day. The committee's view is that these programs should be the main source of nutrition provided at school.
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