Usda Proposes New Rules For Serving Healthy Meals At Schools

The new guidelines announced by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) aim at offering more healthy food to nearly 32 million children who take lunch at school.

The new rules are being supported by all quarters including nutritionists, childrens outreach groups and parents.

Reasons behind introducing new rules
The US Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, said, For the first time in a generation we are proposing significant improvements to the nutritional quality of the meals served to the children across America.

It is first time in 15 years that changes have been proposed regarding the nutritional quality of food served at schools.

The Agriculture Secretary said that children get nearly half the calories at school and any improvement in the meals at school is bound to have a positive impact.

The Centre for Disease Control and prevention estimates that about 17 percent children in the country are obese. Overweight children are more prone to problems like high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Initiative welcomed
The initiative has been welcomed by all concerned.

Dr. David L. Katz from Yale University School of Medicine, while welcoming the move, said there could be some resistance from some who might see it as an attempt to dictate the food choice of the kids.

The new rules also propose to increase the reimbursement to schools by 6 cents per meal. Ann Cooper, a school food consultant, said it equals the price of a quarter of an apple but still the move is a step in the right direction.

Aim of new rules
The new rules propose to limit the serving of potatoes and other starchy vegetables to one cup per week, a reduction in sodium levels over the next 10 years, banning most of the trans fats and serving low fat or non fat milk.

The proportions of fruits and vegetables are also to be increased.

The rules aim at regulating the calorie intake of the kids at school.

The new guidelines are based on the report of the Institute of Science, National Academy of science, issued in 2009.

The USDA will be receiving public comments on the new rules till April 13.

It is first time in 15 years that changes have been proposed regarding the nutritional quality of food served at schools.

The proposal is a part of the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act, 2010, signed by the President last month.