HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	197
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2008
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

requesting the department of education to establish nutrition standards for food and beverage sold in public schools AND TO PROVIDE NUTRITION TRAINING AND EDUCATION TO FOOD SERVICE MANAGERS AND STUDENTS.

     WHEREAS, obesity is considered to be the major health issue of the twenty-first century, and obesity rates have soared throughout the United States, with an estimated two-thirds of the adult population self-reporting being overweight and almost one-third being obese; and

     WHEREAS, the World Health Organization and International Obesity Task Force have also confirmed a worldwide epidemic of obesity, even as some developing countries struggle with undernourishment or famine; and

     WHEREAS, the number of overweight children in the United States has doubled in the past thirty years, with similar patterns occurring in Hawaii; and

     WHEREAS, while more research on childhood obesity in Hawaii needs to be done, the Hawaii youth risk behavior survey reports that approximately one-third of Hawaii's students consider themselves to be overweight, with another sixteen per cent at risk for becoming overweight; and

     WHEREAS, research demonstrates that overweight children tend to lead sedentary lifestyles, develop low self-esteem and psychological stress, and often lack the necessary drive and motivation required for excelling in the classroom; and

     WHEREAS, the two leading causes of obesity in children are a lack of physical activity and poor eating habits, the second of which is due in large part to our "junk food" and "super-sized" American culture that often leads to overeating and the consumption of large amounts of sugar and fat; and

     WHEREAS, unhealthy children often become unhealthy adults, with the concomitant health care costs to treat hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease; and

     WHEREAS, food and beverages sold on school grounds can be a significant source of fat, calories, salt, sugar, and cholesterol; and

     WHEREAS, carbonated drinks are the single largest source of refined sugars in the American diet; and

     WHEREAS, seventy per cent of elementary school-aged children exceed the current dietary recommendations for total calories and saturated fat intake; and

     WHEREAS, schools are a logical place to promote the prevention of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2008, that the Department of Education is requested to:

     (1)  Establish nutrition standards for food and beverages sold in public elementary, intermediate, and middle schools;

     (2)  Limit the sales of meals to elementary, intermediate, and middle grade students to full meals sold at breakfast and lunch;

     (3)  During breaks in the school schedule, make individual food items available for sale, including fruit, nonfried vegetables, legumes, beverages, dairy products, or grain products with:

          (A)  No more than thirty per cent of total calories from fat, with the exception of nuts or seeds;

          (B)  No more than ten per cent of total calories from saturated fat; and

          (C)  No more than twenty-five per cent of total weight from sugar, with the exception of fruits or vegetables;

     (4)  Limit the beverages sold to elementary, intermediate, and middle school students on school grounds to:

          (A)  Drinking water;

          (B)  Milk (including chocolate milk) or approved nondairy beverages; and

          (C)  Beverages that contain one hundred per cent fruit juices, or fruit-based drinks composed of not less than fifty per cent fruit juice that have no added sweeteners;

     (5)  Develop nutrition education training requirements for food service managers in public schools that address all public school food services, including school snacks and full meal service;

     (6)  Ensure that all existing food service managers complete the nutrition education training requirements by January 1, 2009 and that new food service managers complete the nutrition education training requirements within six months of date of hire;

     (7)  Encourage schools to provide students with culturally-appropriate and standards-based nutrition education, as well as farm-to-table nutrition education where resources permit access to school, community, county, or other gardens; and

     (8)  Require any state and county agencies that operate afterschool and weekend programs to adhere to the same nutrition policies established for school grounds during school hours; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education is requested to clarify that its nutrition policies would not prohibit or limit the sale or distribution of any food or beverage item through fundraisers by students, teachers, or groups when the items are intended for sale off the school campus; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent of Education, the Chairperson of the Board of Education, and the Director of Health.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Nutrition Standards for Food and Beverages Sold in Public Schools