Canadian Food Guide
Canada has set a set of guidelines to help people understand serving sizes and the amount of each type of food a person needs in a day. Here is a detailed outline of the Canadian Food Guide. The Food Guide can be consulted when packing lunches for children and when planning meals around the home.
Children will benefit from being involved in planning lunches and meals and in consulting the Food Guide. If children are able to understand food requirements they will have the knowledge to hopefully make good, healthy food choices.
Children will benefit from being involved in planning lunches and meals and in consulting the Food Guide. If children are able to understand food requirements they will have the knowledge to hopefully make good, healthy food choices.
Alberta Gets a 'B' Grade in School Nutrition
The article taken from the Alberta Teachers Association website outlines some of the concerns regarding the 'B' grade given to Alberta. The article highlights some of the varying views of who is responsible for school nutrition. Some think it rests on the schools themselves in terms of the food they offer for purchase to students while others believe it is on outside sources such as parents. Education Minister Ron Liepert stated in the article that the responsibility to feed, clothe and shelter every student in Alberta does not rest on schools, but that schools are doing their part in providing food for purchase to students who are otherwise unable to eat at school. This is an important issue and one that must be considered.
Full details of the article can be found here.
Full details of the article can be found here.
Why Have Nutrition Policies in Schools?
In Britain, Canada, the United States and elsewhere, the response to the problem of school nutrition has come primarily from health agencies, which have called for the development of nutrition policies. The education system has not initiated policy change. (McKenna, 2001, P 202)
The rationale used by health agencies for developing nutrition policies is to reduce health and learning problems among school children. Regarding health, poor nutrition during the school years is associated with iron-deficiency anaemia, unsafe weight-loss methods, eating disorders, dental caries, health complications associated with undernutrition, and problems associated with overweight and obesity, a growing problem among this age group (McKenna, 2001, P 202- As cited in: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention 1996). In addition, poor eating habits established during childhood increase the risk, during adulthood, for cardiovascular disease, diet-related cancers, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, and osteoporosis (McKenna, 2001, P 202- As cited in: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention 1996).
Poor nutrition also puts children at greater risk academically. Children who are undernourished score lower on standardized tests, especially tests of language ability and problem-solving. They tend to be lacking in energy, more irritable, less able to concentrate, and prone to infection (McKenna, 2001, P 202- As cited in: Troccoli 1993)
There is a need for nutritional guidelines in schools for the reasons stated above. Nutrition has a substantial impact on the learning students are able to do during the school day and on their attitudes. This attitude translates into many different aspects of their lives and therefore is of great importance.
There are many considerations in school nutritional policies including financial concerns for access and the loss of revenue as well as student choices. (McKenna, 2001, P 203) In Canada there are not national meal programmes or school nutrition policies. Instead, school nutrition falls under provincial jurisdiction. (McKenna, 2001, P 205) This has the potential to create problems in relation to nutrition for children at school in the future.
The rationale used by health agencies for developing nutrition policies is to reduce health and learning problems among school children. Regarding health, poor nutrition during the school years is associated with iron-deficiency anaemia, unsafe weight-loss methods, eating disorders, dental caries, health complications associated with undernutrition, and problems associated with overweight and obesity, a growing problem among this age group (McKenna, 2001, P 202- As cited in: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention 1996). In addition, poor eating habits established during childhood increase the risk, during adulthood, for cardiovascular disease, diet-related cancers, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, overweight and obesity, and osteoporosis (McKenna, 2001, P 202- As cited in: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention 1996).
Poor nutrition also puts children at greater risk academically. Children who are undernourished score lower on standardized tests, especially tests of language ability and problem-solving. They tend to be lacking in energy, more irritable, less able to concentrate, and prone to infection (McKenna, 2001, P 202- As cited in: Troccoli 1993)
There is a need for nutritional guidelines in schools for the reasons stated above. Nutrition has a substantial impact on the learning students are able to do during the school day and on their attitudes. This attitude translates into many different aspects of their lives and therefore is of great importance.
There are many considerations in school nutritional policies including financial concerns for access and the loss of revenue as well as student choices. (McKenna, 2001, P 203) In Canada there are not national meal programmes or school nutrition policies. Instead, school nutrition falls under provincial jurisdiction. (McKenna, 2001, P 205) This has the potential to create problems in relation to nutrition for children at school in the future.