IOM Report on Nutritional Standards in Schools
The Institutes of Medicine (IOM) recently released recommendations for foods offered at schools in a report entitled, “Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools: Leading the Way Toward Healthier Youth.” Much like the IOM report on the WIC Food Package, this report aligns suggestions with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It also suggests that federally-reimbursable school nutrition programs should be the main source of food in school campuses.  
For those foods not included in federal nutrition programs, the report suggests limiting competitive foods while dividing recommendations into two tiers.

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Governor Rendell’s Prescription for PA: School Breakfast Proposal
Multiple research studies have shown that children have the best chance for academic success if they start their days with nutritious breakfasts. While breakfast is traditionally consumed before leaving home in the morning, other factors—such as parents’ work schedules and children’s lack of appetite early in the morning—often interfere. Educators have found that providing a school-based breakfast is a cost-effective way to enhance the learning environment. In recognition of this fact, many school principals make a special effort to provide breakfast for all children on days when school-wide tests are administered.
In his 2007-2008 budget proposal, Governor Rendell included a provision that would require schools in which low-income students comprise 20 percent or more of enrollment to offer the School Breakfast Program. Currently 250 public schools and 100 private schools would be affected by such a requirement.

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Improving Buying Behavior through the Food Stamp Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) magazine, Amber Waves, recently published a feature article, “Improving Food Choices—Can Food Stamps Do More?” This article describes the pros and cons of proposed strategies for improving the Food Stamp Program participants’ healthy buying habits through (1) restricting types of allowable foods (i.e. candy and soda) purchased through the program, or (2) offering bonuses or vouchers for buying healthful foods. With regard to proposals to restrict types of allowable food in the Food Stamp Program, the authors questioned whether consumers would simply use their non–food stamp dollars on prohibited foods. They also questioned whether consumers would adjust their buying behavior to purchase fruits, vegetables, low-fat milk, and whole grains or switch to cakes, cookies, chocolate-coated granola bars, or other items that may have only minimal nutritional differences from banned items.

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The 2007 Farm Bill: Making the Case
How often does your daily work at your ordinary job become the focus of national attention in Washington?
“Never!” you may be muttering to yourself. Yet this far-fetched scenario is happening right now for nutrition educators. Encouraging people to eat more fruits and vegetables, one of the oh-so-familiar parts of the Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Tracks work plan, has hit the big time. “Everyone in Congress is talking about fruits and vegetables,” said a Washington lobbyist during a recent discussion of the Farm Bill. “They are worried about the medical cost of the way America eats.” For proof, simply consider the legislation that has been introduced in Congress in an effort to influence the next Farm Bill. The most popular bill (H.R. 1551), authored by Congressman Ron Kind of Wisconsin, is called the Healthy Farms, Food and Fuels Act of 2007. The bill would nearly quadruple funding for the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, quadruple funding for the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, and raise funding for the school-based Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program by more than 3,000 percent!

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A Reflection on Ellyn Satter and Eating Competence
The Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Network, in collaboration with Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Tracks and Penn State's Department of Nutritional Sciences in the College of Health and Human Development, were pleased to welcome Ellyn Satter to PA NEN’s 7th annual conference, Strengthening the Food Resource Safety Net, held on May 14-15 in Camp Hill, PA. On Tuesday, May 15, Ellyn presented a full day of workshops focused on understanding and applying the Satter Eating Competence Model (ecSatter).
According to Satter, for both adults and children, there exists a way to eat that is satisfying without going out of control. The key word is trust. Acknowledging, trusting and acting on what lies inside is basic to mental health and nutritional health. Even the most out-of-control eater can learn to trust internal signals of hunger, appetite and satiety and trust their body (and their child's body) to know how much to eat. Such trust depends on reliably providing satisfying food and on trusting one’s own body to be the size and shape it needs to be.

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PADA Annual Meeting: Promoting Family Meals
The Pennsylvania Dietetic Association recently held its Annual Meeting & Exhibition in Pittsburgh with a diverse group of speakers focusing on topics related to the meeting’s theme, Today’s Challenges and Tomorrow’s Solutions. The wide variety of outstanding presentations ranged from basic science to cuisine to active listening to clinical diets to cultural competency and legal issues. The buzz on many topics continued after the presentations. What are the practical implications of nutrigenomics? Is carbohydrate restriction really a critical piece for solving the metabolic syndrome puzzle? How did a young woman’s interest in fitness turn into a $200 million business? Is mealtime magic for well-being? The enlightening lecture, “The Magic of Mealtime: Connecting Families with Food” by Barbara Mayfield, explored the role of the family meal in relation to health, social, intellectual, and behavioral consequences.

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Taking Action for Healthy Kids
The Pennsylvania Action for Healthy Kids organized a statewide meeting, “Wellness and Academic Success: From Policy to Action,” held in State College from April 30–May 1, 2007. One of the hottest topics was the governor’s Wellness Initiative and how it relates to the wellness policies that schools have adopted and continue to amend.
The Governor has put forth a health and wellness initiative, which includes a holistic approach to school nutrition, in his proposed state budget. First, schools must establish a breakfast program if 20 percent or more of their children are eligible for free/reduced-price lunches. Second, schools that adopt the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s (PDE) “Guidelines for Nutritional Standards for Competitive Foods in Pennsylvania Schools” will receive a higher state financial supplement for making positive changes in the school nutrition environment.

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PANA Celebrates Broccoli – Yes, Broccoli – With Go for the Greens
Go for the what?! Like Olympic athletes who “go for the gold,” students across Pennsylvania were encouraged to “Go for the Greens” on March 14 by making healthy food choices a part of their own daily diet as they strive to stay fit and active. Judging by the numbers, cucumbers and kiwis can be a real hit with kids and youth: more than 770 schools and nearly 335,000 students across the Commonwealth took part in the third annual edition of this statewide event. And many schools found that there is truly strength in numbers, as group reactions to trying new fruits and vegetables were often more positive than the typical individual responses.“Go for the Greens” is organized by Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity (PANA – www.panaonline.org), a coalition of various public and private partners working with schools and communities throughout the state to help promote healthy eating and physical activity.

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