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Educate your patients on the importance of 3-A-Day of Dairy: Here's
a great
tool (PDF: 618k) to show families how to get their 3-A-Day of Dairy
every day for stronger bones.
Developed in conjunction with The American Academy of Family
Physicians, The American Academy of Pediatrics, The American Dietetic
Association, and The National Medical Association.
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Dairy Council Digest Archives
SCHOOL BREAKFAST: IMPROVING STUDENTS’ MINDS & BODIES
Volume 79, Number 2 March/April 2008
Summary
A positive link between nutrition and learning has long been recognized. In fact, this concept underlies the federally-supported School Breakfast Program (SBP). Unfortunately for many children, consuming a healthful breakfast is not part of their usual morning routine. Skipping breakfast increases as children age and appears to be more common among certain minority or low socioeconomic groups. Limited family income, time constraints, and lack of appetite in the morning are some of the reasons children skip breakfast. For many children, the SBP is an important alternative to breakfast at home.
The SBP offers students breakfast either free, or at a reduced-price, or at full-price depending on family income. Currently, 80% of the breakfasts offered are free or reduced-price. School breakfasts are required to provide one-fourth or more of the key nutrients children need each day and contain no more than 30% of calories from fat and less than 10% of calories from saturated fat. Although participation in the SBP has increased over the years, this program is underutilized. Fewer than half of eligible low-income children participating in the National School Lunch Program also participate in the SBP.
Missing breakfast puts children’s health and academic performance at risk. Research shows that consuming breakfast, particularly school breakfast, improves the nutritional quality of children’s diets. Consuming breakfast can help children and adolescents increase their intake of the five “nutrients of concern” (i.e., nutrients limited in their diets) identified by the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese) provide three (i.e., calcium, magnesium, potassium) of these five nutrients, while fruits, vegetables, and whole grains provide the other two (i.e., vitamin E and fiber).
Short-term studies, particularly among undernourished or hungry children, suggest that participation in the SBP has beneficial effects on cognitive function (e.g., memory), academic performance, school attendance, punctuality, and psychosocial function. In addition, breakfast may help children achieve a healthy weight and establish lifelong healthful habits.
Many schools are implementing strategies to increase the availability of the SBP, make breakfast more accessible to students, and expand food options and/or make nutritious food choices more appealing. Providing all students with a universal free school breakfast increases the availability of the SBP by reducing the stigma and eliminating fee barriers for many low-income students. Innovative breakfast service methods, such as providing breakfast in the classroom and “grab and go” breakfast service, make breakfast more accessible.
The New Look of School Milk program is an example of a strategy to increase the appeal of a nutritious food choice, in this case milk. This program offers ice-cold milk served in 8-ounce kid-friendly, plastic re-sealable containers in multiple flavors. Also, school wellness policies provide an opportunity to promote and expand SBPs. By increasing participation in the SBP, these various strategies can help ensure that all children have the opportunity to start the school day well-nourished and ready to learn.
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