British West Indies
Research Article
The Role of School Foodservice Personnel in Nutrition Education: Challenges and Opportunities at U.S. Elementary Schools
Author(s): Thushanthi Perera, Simone Frei, Balz Frei, Siew Sun Wong and Gerd BobeThushanthi Perera, Simone Frei, Balz Frei, Siew Sun Wong and Gerd Bobe
The food environment at school plays an important role in promoting healthy food choices in students. In our previous study, classroom teachers were concerned about some of the meal options offered at their school cafeteria and wanted a school cafeteria component as part of a successful nutrition education program. In response, our first objective was to evaluate the nutritional quality of school meals at Oregon elementary schools. We learned that unless students ate the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables from the salad bar, school menus did not meet the nutrition standards for fruits (99%) and vegetables (100%). As the second objective, we asked Oregon elementary school foodservice personnel (SFP) in a cross-sectional, anonymous mail survey if and how they should be involved in nutrition education programs. Of the 59 SFP who responded, all perceived that nutrition education .. Read More»