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Schools may phase out fried foods (@clarionledger.com)

The Clarion Ledger reports on an interesting Mississippi House Bill that passed and now moves to the Senate, containing the following requirements:

• Annual testing of a child’s body mass index, a measure of obesity.
• At least 30 minutes of daily exercise and a weekly 45-minute health lesson.
• Schools to only use oils without trans fat and reduce the sugar and sodium in cooking.
• A prohibition on fast food during breakfasts or lunches for teachers, too.
• A stop to schools buying new fryers in 2008, ensuring no fried food is served once the frying equipment stops working.

This definitely got my interest up.  Aware that news articles tend to be a little over-dramatic in their summation of legal news, I looked for the original bill language for House Bill 732 and found the following interesting bits:

At the end of the first semester of each school year, each school district shall collect an annual body mass index (BMI) for every Mississippi public school student and provide this information to parents.  The information sent to parents shall include an explanation of the BMI, benefits of physical activity, benefits of proper nutrition, and resources for parents that promote and encourage a healthy lifestyle…. The school districts shall treat the students’ BMI information as private information in the same manner as other student records are treated.

Hopefully, this means students won’t be herded into the gym and be poked with calipers in front of each other.  That’s how it was done in phys ed class in college - I left gym that day depressed, self-conscious and ready to emotionally eat my way through a satisfying, uplifting pasta dinner.  Seriously, children are cruel - we need to be sensitive to peer pressure and give them space to develop a strong self-image.

The regulations on preparation of food items for the Child Nutrition School Breakfast and Lunch Programs shall, at a minimum, address the methods of preparing foods and the use of ingredients that will:

1. Reduce the amount of and, whenever possible, eliminate saturated fat in food items, and reduce the amount of sugar and sodium in food items; 
2. Eliminate any nonnaturally occurring trans fatty acids in food items; 
3. Use one hundred percent (100%) whole grain products and ingredients whenever available; and 
4. Eliminate the frying of food items.

Sounds good to me!  Let’s hope the schools ignore ”zero trans fat” labels and look for partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredients list.  Half a gram of trans fat can really add up when you buy salad dressing in bulk and serve 4 tablespoons (4 servings) to each child.

The regulations on food items that can be prepared, sold or consumed in school cafeterias and on school campuses during the Child Nutrition School Breakfast and Lunch Programs shall, at a minimum: …  Prohibit anyone from bringing retail prepared food into the school cafeterias or onto the school campuses during the school breakfast and school lunch programs.

The also mentions “staff wellness” as one of the duties overseen by each school’s “local school health council.”  It’s nice to see the legislators recognize that children need role models - obese instructors who don’t follow healthy eating habits defeat the entire move to instill healthy habits in our children.

The State Board of Education shall encourage each school to provide students and staff with a minimum of fifteen (15) minutes to eat lunch once they have received their food.  In determining the total length of the lunch period, the time to and from the cafeteria, the time to go through the line, and the time to bus trays at the end of lunch shall be considered.

It’s good to see the legislature also recognizes wolfing food in a short period of time is unhealthy.  It looks like they’ve done their homework and tried to provide not just a bunch of rules, but shape an environment dedicated to principles of fitness.

The State Board of Education shall adopt regulations, for compliance by school districts, that specify the food and beverage items and other items that are approved for sale or distribution… through fund-raisers… conducted by students, teachers, school groups or parent groups… off the school campus.  With respect to food and beverage items, the board shall approve only healthy and nutritious items that are not inconsistent with the regulations adopted under subsection (9) that govern food and beverage items.

No more bake sales.

Well, I’m satisfied.  This sounds like a fantastic move.  Apparently, not everyone agrees.  I can understand schools being reluctant due to the rapid timeline of implementation or moving a herd of students through the lunch line while no longer being able to use fast cooking methods like frying, but to call the bill communist and depriving students of their right to choice?

“I think the bill is bogus and communistic,” said Rep. Steve Horne, R-Meridian, who argued government regulation should not encroach on personal choice.

I hate to be cynical, but it makes me wonder if Coke is contributing to his political warchest. 

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1. The food industry is killing us
2. Fixing our country’s obesity - target the kids
3. Doughnuts without trans-fats. Aren’t they still doughnuts?
4. The Continuing Saga of Trans-fats