American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 3, 254-258, Copyright © 1955 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

NUTRITION OF CHILDREN DURING THEIR SCHOOL YEARS

¹ Director, Bureau of Nutrition, Pennsylvania Department of Health, Harrisburg, Pa.

Carefully prepared and accepted "yardsticks" are available for evaluating good nutritional status and dietary adequacy of school children. The most recent data on the dietary essentials needed have been presented, as well as some suggestions for meeting recommendations in late adolescence—when needs are highest.

Cumulative data from all areas of the country show that much improvement is desirable in both nutritional status and dietary habits.

A good breakfast before going to school is still an important goal for children at all ages. Parents feel this is their greatest single difficulty in helping their children to better nutrition. Physicians, nutritionists, dietitians, and school personnel can do much to motivate children of all ages to appreciate the value of this meal. Better breakfasts would climinate so many problems now faced by teachers, school nurses, and youth itself.

The rapidly expanding school lunch program provides unlimited possibilities for improved nutrition and for better food habits and attitudes on the part of all school children. The many values of a well-operated school lunch program deserve the best support the school and community can provide. A satisfying lunch is an excellent aid to reducing the amount and kind of snack foods children eat when their previous meal is inadequate. Too often, the snacks selected are foods high in carbohydrate and sources principally of "empty calories."

Family and school physicians are highly valued members of the team working for better nutrition. Their emphasis on milk, leafy green and yellow vegetables, on fruits, eggs, and meat, as necessary foods for growth, is needed and appreciated by parents and the school faculty.

Motivation to practice good food habits is a continuous educational process all through the years of growth. Here again the team approach can be very helpful. Children, like adults, are not usually motivated by an interest in nutrition as such. They want only the things nutrition can do for them.

The school and community can provide many opportunities to portray What Nutrition Can Do for You. Animal nutrition studies, 4-H or FFA projects, school or home gardens, home economics and science class programs all can demonstrate the magic of food in growth and development. Radio and television are powerful media for both education and motivation. Teamwork of all forces in the community needs no finer goal toward which to unite effort than Better Nutrition for School Children.