Unhealthy Meal Choices for Low-Income Students in California

Jose Hernandez RiveraCalifornia State University, Monterey Bay Undergraduate Student Collaborative Health & Human Services Department: Social Work & Community Heath Concentration Youth, Family & Children Advocator

Tom Torlakson California Department of Education State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Figure A

ACCESSIBILITY TO HAVE A UNHEALTHY FOOD Middle Schools & High Schools

have access to soft drinks, candy and chips as part of their daily diet (The Downey Obesity Report, 2012).

Parents, Teachers and Policymakers

Limiting bake sakes Lunches from scratch (Barclay,

2012) Healthy food is expensive to buy

(Sifferlin, 2013). Figure B

WHO ARE LOW-INCOME STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA

See Appendix B

MAIN TARGET ARE THE LOW-INCOME STUDENTS According United States Department of

Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutritious Services states that Supplemental Nutritious Assistance Programs (SNAP); offers nutrition assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families and provides economic benefits to communities.

Figure C Figure D

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES?

Little store inside of school

Fast food restaurants Machine items: Candy,

Chocolate, Chips, etc. Soft drinks (Simon,

2013). Pizza, Hamburgers,

Chicken nuggets, nachos dominante

Closed to school campuses

No parent supervision (Westervelt, 2013).

Figure E

Not making changes Cultural behavior

background Mix of nutritious and

non-so-nutritious meals (Toppo, 2013).

No school supervision -students breaking down

Not enough time to eat because long line (Westervelt, 2013).

CAUSES…

Figure F

Schools unable to incorporate food options

Parents can’t provide the cost of lunch

High income family (USDA, 2013).

According to Langellier (2012)

26 LA County health districts has areas with the highest population density also tended to have the highest density of food results

7/10 school were close to a store

64% Fast food restaurants (65% Latino, 11% white, 5% Asian and 3% Black.

Students were eligible for free lunch program

Approximately family income of $60, 900.00

Figure G

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS Obesity Overweight (Langellier, 2012) Type 2 Diabetes Hypertension and Cardiovascular disease (Yang, 2012). Fast food restaurants. Langellier, B. (2009) Eat outside of school campus for a better and cheaper meal

(Langellier, 2009). Behaviors (O’Connor, 2012). Culture and Ethnicity A poor diet can lead to energy imbalance (e.g., eating more

calories than one expends through physical activity) and can increase one’s risk for overweight and obesity.

Figure H

CURRENT SOLUTIONS

SB 12 Bill: (for further information see Appendix A)

Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010

Connection with famer providers with School Programs

Educate students, parents and faculty about this problem

Some places have a sustainable area for their own products (USDA, 2013).

RECOMMENDATIONS Ensure that only nutritious and appealing foods and drinks are

provided in school areas Promotion of eating healthy and help to make sure of appropriate

food and nutrients Have a diversity of food meals for the students Providing access to drinking water sugar-sweetened drinks Programming evaluations by districts, cities, counties and statewide Health Educators- Nutritionist Better estimate who are consider low-income students

Higher quality food Upgraded kitchens Updated serving methods Attractive eating areas

Local Companies

CONCLUSION Students eating Healthy or Unhealthy Free Lunch or Deductive lunch price Different meal options can make a

difference Short terms and long terms conditions Can make a difference in their habits and

environment routines

Image I

IMAGE REFERENCES Figure A: Pressconnects.com. A Gannett Company. (2012). Veggies take center stage in local school cafeterias.

Area schools’ cafeterias adapt to new federal nutrition standards. Retrieved from http://cmsimg.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=CB&Date=20120904&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=309040007&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&Veggies-take-center-stage-local-school-cafeterias

Figure B: The Downey Obesity Report. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.downeyobesityreport.com/wp-content/uploads//kids-lots-vending-machines.jpg

Figure C: Alabama A&M University. USA/1890 Nation Scholars Application. Retrieved from http://www.aamu.edu/academics/alns/pages/usda-1890-national-scholars-applications.aspx

Figure D: Greenboro Farmers Curb Market. (2013). Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Retrieved from http://gsofarmersmarket.org/snap-at-gfcm/

Figure E: Fooducate. (2010). Inadequate Public Funding and the Sale of Competitive Foods as a Revenue Source. Retrieved from http://blog.fooducate.com/2010/03/11/why-is-there-so-much-unhealthy-food-in-schools/

Figure F: Houmantoday.com. Students’ school lunch photos pose questions: eat it or toss it? Retrieved from http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20131203/WIRE/131209897/1211/NEWS01?Title=Students-school-lunch-photos-pose-question-Eat-it-or-toss-it-

Figure G: cdc.com. The Food Environment and Student Weight Status, Los Angeles County, 2008-2009. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2012/11_0191.htm

Figure H: NPR.org. (2011). Your health podcast: Zombie preparedness and sleepy teens. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/05/23/136506423/your-health-podcast-zombie-preparedness-and-sleepy-teens

Figure I: Welcome to Dakota County, Minnesota. A Premier County in which to live & work. Retrieved from http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/HealthFamily/HealthyLiving/DietNutrition/Pages/smart-choices.aspx

REFERENCES Barclay, E. (2012). NPR.ORG. Study finds snacks, soda regulations in schools help kid’s health. Retrieved from

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/08/13/158688433/study-finds-snack-soda-regulations-in-schools-help-kids-health

Godoy, M. (2013). Minnesota Public Radio. MPRnews. This is what America’s school lunches really looks like. Retrieved from http://minnesota.publicradio.org/features/npr.php?id=246400702

Hook, J. V. & Altman, C. E. (2012). Competitive food sales in schools and childhood obesity: a longitudinal study. American Sociology of Education. SAGE. DOI: 10.1177/0038040711417011. Retrieved from http://www.asanet.org/images/journals/docs/pdf/soe/Jan12SOEFeature.pdf

Sifferlin, A. (2013). Time: Health & Family. Eating healthy is cheaper than you think. Retrieved from http://healthland.time.com/2013/12/05/eating-healthy-is-cheaper-than-you-think/

Simon, M. (2013). Ridding schools of a fast food, junk food and soda pushers. Retrieved from http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/blog/2060/ridding-schools-of-fast-food-junk-food-and-soda-pushers#

The Downey Obesity Report. (2012). Competitive food sales in schools not effective obesity. Retrieved from http://www.downeyobesityreport.com/tag/school-environment-and-obesity/

Toppo, G. (2013). Houmantoday.com. Students’ school lunch photos pose questions: eat it or toss it? Retrieved from http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20131203/WIRE/131209897/1211/NEWS01?Title=Students-school-lunch-photos-pose-question-Eat-it-or-toss-it-

Westervelt, E. (2013). OPB. Health. Nation. Food. Education. These days, school lunch hours are more like 15 minutes. Retrieved from http://www.opb.org/artsandlife/article/npr-these-days-school-lunch-hours-are-more-like-15-minutes/

USDA. (2013). United States Department of Agriculture. ELIGIBILITY FOR FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE MEALS IN THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction recently announced the 2012-13.

Langellier, B. (2009). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The food environment and student weight status, Los Angeles County, 2008-2009. Prev Chronic Dis 2012;9:110191. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd9.110191

O’Connor, A. (2012). The New York Times; Health, Science. Bans on school junk food pay off in California. Retrieved from http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/bans-on-school-junk-food-pay-off-in-california/?_r=0

Yang Su, E. (2012). California school lunches missing the mark for nutrition standards. Retrieved from http://hechingerreport.org/content/california-school-lunches-missing-the-mark-for-nutrition-standards_8958/

APPENDIX Appendix A: Welcome to California Project Lean Leaders Encouraging Activities

and Nutrition. (2005). California School Food and Beverages Standards. Retrieved from http://www.californiaprojectlean.org/doc.asp?id=179

Appendix B: California Department of Education. Eligibility Scales for 2012-2013. Retrieved from http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/rs/scales1213.asp

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