nikkihog [2010-10-29 00:43:45 +0000 UTC]

Hello, me! 8D

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killakitty13 [2010-09-22 17:46:16 +0000 UTC]

The Board of Education has agreed to move forward on a plan to eliminate sugary beverages and make Florida the first state in the nation to ban chocolate milk in public schools.

Board member John Padget, a former schools superintendent from South Florida, has been pressing his colleagues for a year to cut out all beverages besides water, pure juice and white, low-fat milk to help fight childhood obesity.

High schools, however, would be allowed to sell some types of diet sodas and some other low-calorie, low-sugar drinks.

Although board members tabled the issue last spring - most said they preferred to wait to see if the federal government would take the lead on the issue - they decided this morning to ask doctors and researchers for their opinions.

Then, they said, they'll have a more in-depth discussion at their next meeting on Dec. 17.

"When you think about it, we probably have a million overweight or obese children in our schools," Padget said. "I think the clock is ticking in terms of personal health."

One reason the board chose to move forward was the realization that the federal government may take years to revamp its rules on what foods should and shouldn't be allowed to be sold in elementary-, middle- and high schools.

Also, board members learned that the Washington D.C. school district recently announced it is cutting out flavored milk, which tends to be high in sugar.

This morning, an official from the National Association of State Boards of Education urged the Florida Board of Education to make changes now.

"Otherwise your kindergarteners will be in fifth grade before they see any changes," said Elizabeth Walker, director of the agency's Center for Safe and Healthy Schools.

The public can expect to hear a variety of information presented at the next board meeting for discussion.

Board member Akshay Desai told state officials he wants to see any studies that show whether nutritional changes made in schools can indeed improve children's health.

Board member Susan Story said she wants the board to look into possibly limiting other foods, too. Students take in hundreds of additional calories through snacks - chips and ice cream, for example - that are sold in schools, according to research.

"To me, it's a bigger issue that needs to be looked at and not a chocolate milk-versus-white milk and soda," Story said. "I would just want to make sure we look at everything and not just a piece. We might be fighting the wrong battle."

On the other hand, board member Kathleen Shanahan warned her colleagues that eliminating some foods could impact jobs in this largely agricultural state.

She also reminded the board that school cafeteria managers and school nutritionists have already spoken out against eliminating flavored milk, arguing that kids will stop drinking milk because they overwhelmingly prefer chocolate and strawberry milk over plain white milk.

However, pediatricians and nutrition scholars across the country say children will, in fact, drink whatever alternative beverages, such as water or juice, are available to them.

BOULDER - Ann Cooper is passionate about getting kids to eat and drink healthy. She says that's why she has removed all flavored milk from her school district, sticking strictly with the white stuff.



"I really believe we should not be serving chocolate milk in school. As far as I'm concerned, chocolate milk is soda in drag," Ann Cooper, Boulder Valley Schools' director of nutrition services, said. "Most chocolate milk has 50 percent more calories than white milk."

Cooper says the added calories and sugar add up over the years contributing to obesity and diabetes in kids. She has replaced chocolate, strawberry, and other flavored milk with dispensers with deliver fresh organic milk from Colorado. Boulder is just one of a growing number of districts across the country also banning flavored milk.

"It's unconscionable to teach children that the only way for them to be healthy and have healthy bones is to drink chocolate milk that has so much sugar in it," Cooper said.

Jenna Allen is a dietician with the Western Dairy Association who manages its nutritional affairs. She disagrees with Cooper's opinion of chocolate milk.

"The added sugar that children get is fairly insignificant when you look at the whole day's diet," Allen said. "It provides the same nine essential nutrients as white milk."

Allen says the value of attracting kids to drinking milk of any kind is more valuable than taking away chocolate milk.

"Seventy percent of the milk that's consumed in school is chocolate milk, and they enjoy that milk. They choose that milk and they'll drink that milk," Allen said. "They will drink more milk when it's flavored."

The Western Dairy Association advocates for kids to drink three servings of milk each day to maintain nutrients such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium. The group is also part of a national campaign promoting chocolate milk called, "Raise your hand for chocolate milk."

"For those kids who don't like white milk and won't drink white milk, it helps them get their three servings a day," Allen said.

Cooper says so far the switch has worked. She says there hasn't been a drop-off in milk consumption district wide.

"Organic Colorado milk, it's really cold. It tastes good. It comes in a cup," Cooper said. "It's a about a balanced meal. It's not about chocolate milk."

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peargirl132 [2009-07-04 22:31:24 +0000 UTC]

Well, I do suport chocolate milk so i had to!

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14silverthehedgehog2 [2009-01-30 23:40:57 +0000 UTC]

hello

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jimmyeatsyourworld [2008-10-04 08:09:48 +0000 UTC]

Welcome to dA!

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