Valley schools look to curb childhood obesity

By Denise Dick

denise_dick@vindy.com

Austintown

Vending machines stocked with water and baked chips rather than sugary soft drinks and fried snacks, and dark leafy greens rather than starch — it’s not your grandfather’s school lunch program.

Last year, Ohio’s Healthy Choices for Healthy Children Act took effect, aiming to curb childhood obesity by offering more-healthful food and beverage options and increasing students’ physical activity.

Austintown schools have several programs in place that address the goals, said Superintendent Vince Colaluca.

“We’re a big believer in impacting students on all avenues,” he said. “We have a total wellness committee that looks at the total welfare of children and staff.”

Gone are regular potato chips from school vending machines and french fries from school lunches.

“We took away everything that was bad for the kids,” said Tascin Brooks, Austintown’s food- service director and a registered dietetic technician.

Vegetable options incorporate varieties of dark green and orange; and starchy foods such as white potatoes, corn and peas are limited to one cup per week. The district also is working to incorporate legumes into the menu, offering hummus and providing chick peas on the soon-to-be-available salad bar.

Vending machines, too, are to be filled with healthful choices: string cheese, Gogurt and reduced-fat milk. The district received a $5,000 grant from the National Dairy Council for the machines.

The district is part of the Lake to River Cooperative, buying produce from local farmers.

Elementary and middle school students have been pretty receptive to the changes, Brooks said.

“The problems we’re having most is at the high school,” she said. “They’re used to french fries and chocolate-chip cookies. We’re working on formulating some new things.”

A special burrito day, for example, went over well.

Another aspect of the new law requires body-mass-index screenings and weight status for students in kindergarten, third, fifth and ninth grades.

The law allows districts to seek waivers of the BMI screening requirements, and many districts have done that.

Patrick Gallaway, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Education, said the deadline to request a waiver is ongoing. Districts need to notify the state by the end of the school year to request the waiver.

Dante Zambrini, Canfield schools superintendent, said the screenings are done discreetly.

“For us, it’s informational,” he said. “The information is given to the parents so they can make good decisions.”

Canfield also participates in the Lake to River Cooperative to buy fresh produce from local vendors, said Terri Hutchison, director of food service.

Zambrini said the district is working on revisions to its physical-education program and instituting walking programs.

“We’re trying to focus on the fact that exercise is a lifelong learning process and a lifelong skill,” he said.

Barbara Dorbish, food-service director at Poland schools, said the district is incorporating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains into the menu.

The law requires districts to limit to 35 percent the total fat and to 10 percent the saturated fat in snack items. There also are limits on sugar content.

Ice cream offered a la carte, for example, is a low-fat, reduced-sugar version.

Students’ receptions have been mixed.

Some students, particularly those in high school who were used to the less-healthful offerings, don’t understand why it’s happening, Dorbish said.

More changes are proposed, requiring schools to offer even more quantities of fruits and veggies, which will be more expensive.

Poland gradually has changed what’s available in the beverage machines, too, Dorbish said.

In elementary school, only water is available while the middle and high school provide water, juice and other unsweetened drinks. Nothing carbonated may be sold while school is in session.

Poland schools started the BMI screenings last school year that must be reported each May to the state.

A letter is first sent home to parents of students in the affected grades. Parents have the option of opting out, and Cathy Fedor, one of Poland’s nurses, says many do.

Screeners do the tests privately and inform parents of results by letter. Those whose tests determine a problem or potential problem for a student may be advised to contact a pediatrician, Fedor said.

Youngstown schools plans to seek a waiver regarding the BMI screenings, but the district has implemented more-healthful food and beverage options for students.

Donna Smaldino, chief of food service for Youngstown schools, said changes are being made gradually.

Whole-wheat pasta replaces the regular variety with brown rice replacing white. Reduced-sugar cereals and reduced-fat salad dressing are now the norms.

“We still have french fries, but we don’t have them as often and not in as big portions,” Smaldino said.

The district mixes ground turkey with ground beef or pork to reduce the fat content.

“We do sneaky things, too,” she said. “We have a spice cake that actually has baked beans in it.”