School food addressed at meeting in Cedar Rapids

Parents will join forces with Linn County Public Health and other groups to work toward policy changes regarding food served at schools.

About 20 people - including several school food service workers - gathered tonight at TrueNorth for an initial meeting to discuss nutrition and obesity on a local level.

Jill Roeder, outreach coordinator for the health department's Healthy Linn Care Network, noted that the number of Iowans considered overweight or obese rose from 10 to 14 percent in 1989 to 64 percent this year.

Chris Ford, a University of Iowa master's student in Public Health, has been working for the health department on a pilot program with Grant Early Childhood Center in Cedar Rapids.

On one day, students had pancakes and sausage on a stick for breakfast, corn dogs for lunch and a cookie for a snack, he said.

Some of the cafeteria staff disputed his report, saying the school always serves fruit and juice as an option.

Still, Ford noted that obesity can lead to diabetes, sleep apnea and other health conditions and that children are becoming at risk for obesity at an earlier age.

Grant school conducted a self-assessment of nutrition and physical activity and will implement a junk food-free policy next school year, he said.

Susan Knight, nutrition services manager for Linn-Mar Schools, said she is encouraged by changes coming with the Healthy Kids Act, which will be implemented in July.

The district went through its $31,000 in federal funding for fresh fruits and vegetables by Nov. 30 this school year, Knight said.

“Budget constraints are very real,” she said.

Parent Laura Saylor cited Michelle Obama's healthy food initiatives and other movements as a sign of hope that parents and schools can work together to make changes.

“I think we all want the same thing,” she said.

Another meeting will be set. People interested in participating can contact Roeder at .