Dr. Enrique Jacoby, Regional Advisor on Healthy Eating and Active Living at the Pan American Health Organization, answers a reader’s question.

Question:

I always hear that it’s important to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, but what my kids eat at school is mostly pizza, nachos and french fries. Fruit is expensive and I sometimes find it hard to buy it to eat at home. What can I do so my kids will eat more fruits and vegetables? – Graciela, Ohio

Answer:

I understand your concerns. Because of life’s demands and struggles, some families have to rely on school meals, but in most cases, fruits, vegetables and whole grains play a small role in these menus. It shouldn’t surprise us that childhood obesity has been on the rise in recent years.

The good news is that if your children go to elementary school, they can get a nutritious meal every day. Find out if your school participates in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) of the US Department of Agriculture. The objective of the program is for every child to eat one fresh fruit or vegetable at school for free. The program is available nationwide and it’s been recognized by the World Health Organization as an effective strategy to reduce childhood obesity.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program was started in 2002 and today it serves 1.4 million children in 1,800 different schools throughout the U.S. The program has had very good results, and it’s been confirmed that students at these schools have:

• Increased their intake of fruits and vegetables at school and at home
• Spent less on unhealthy products from vending machines
• Developed a taste for a wider variety of fruits and vegetables
• Improved their academic performance
• The number of children benefitting from the program is expected to grow to 3 million within two years.

In order to participate in this program, keep the following in mind:

• Schools must apply to participate in the program through the state agency in charge of school nutrition. Even though the FFVP is not part of the School Lunch Program, the school must already have this program in place in order to apply.
• Schools with the largest percentage of low-income students will get priority.

Speak with your school principal and the PTA about applying for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
 

Article courtesy of La Buena Vida

Dr. Enrique Jacoby works as Regional Advisor on Healthy Eating and Active Living at the Pan American Health Organization - PAHO (a branch of the World Health Organization). A Peruvian Medical Doctor with a Masters Degree in Public Health Nutrition from Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Jacoby has worked in the field of nutrition public health for 20 years, in areas that include child and maternal health/nutrition and chronic disease prevention.