Wellness

Students’ lifelong eating habits are greatly influenced by the types of foods and beverages available to them. Numerous studies have shown that students who eat breakfast and lunch at school consume a greater variety of healthy foods and more nutrients. Students consume more vegetables, drink more milk and fewer sweetened beverages, consume more grain mixtures, and eat fewer cookies, cakes and salty snacks than students who make other lunch choices. Over the past few decades, the availability of snack foods and beverages has increased at school, both in the cafeteria

and through other school organizations including school stores, vending machines (e.g.)soda and other sweetened beverages, snack chips and cookies) and fundraisers (e.g., candy and baked goods). These snacks are often low in nutrient density; they supply calories from added fat and/or sugar but relatively few, if any, vitamins and minerals. When children replace healthy meals with less nutritious snacks, they are often consuming inadequate nutrients and excess calories. When snacks of low nutrient density are consumed in addition to the school meal, children may be consuming too many calories. Nutrition standards help schools provide healthier food and beverage choices throughout the entire school environment.

The East Haddam Public School’s Wellness Plan addresses Connecticut’s Healthy Snack Standards and adheres to the requirements of Federal Legislation, the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-265).

District’s Wellness Policy

The following links are provided to access information on topics such as eating disorders and general nutrition and health guidelines.

Eating Disorders

Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc. A nonprofit organization that provides information about anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, compulsive exercising, and other less well-known food and weight disorders.

Eating Disorders, Food and Nutrition Information Center:

Gurze Books. Includes a catalogue of resources on eating disorders, basic information and links to national organizations and other useful sites.

National Eating Disorders Association:

General Nutrition and Health

Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Links scientific research to the nutrition needs of consumers via a variety of education materials, including the MyPyramid and other resources.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2005.

Finding Your Way to a Healthier You: Based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2005:

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) and Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA). Links to all guidelines and reports.

My Pyramid: http://www.mypyramid.gov/