The puplic needs to know

THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW Tsiyon Woldetensay English Composition 115 Professor: Michael Gueltig Assignment 2.1 Thesis The effectiveness of school meals programs for improvement in nutrition and health is very crucial in improving children health. Introduction Children need varied nutritious foods including a high intake of essential vitamins and minerals like calcium, protein as well as other nutrients. Appropriate nutrition is very essential for the growth as well as development of every child. Those children with an extra health care need are susceptible to increased nutrition related health problem risks, which may cause a great impact on the learning performance in schools (Martin & Oakley, 2008). According to the legislation summarized in 1946, the National School breakfast and Lunch Program`s main purpose is not only to safeguard the well-being and health of the children of the nation, but also for encouraging domestic consumption of healthy and nutritious vegetarian commodities and other foods as well (Institute of the medicines of the national academies, 2010). Economic situations Taking into an account, the economic status of the majority population, both school breakfast program and national school lunch program provide a safe option for children in need. Hence, eligible children are provided school meals either free or at a much reduced cost. Among them, those children from a household income at or below 130% of the total federal poverty stage are provided free school breakfast and lunch along with the homeless children (Vorster et al., 1998). If the income ranges from 130 - 185 % of the poverty line, the child gets a meal at a reduced price; whereas, children hailing from a house having income over 185% of the total poverty line, have to pay full price for the meal, but, with a cash reimbursement provision by the USDA (Institute of the medicines of the national academies, 2010). Special health needs The service of food and Nutrition by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposed a rule to revise the nutrition requirements and meal patterns for the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program according to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines. The recommended nutritional requirements in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines by which the 2005 guidelines are consistent with, again reinforce the relevance of nutritious foods to achieve a balanced healthy diet, and also encourage individuals to decline the amounts of solid fats, sodium, refined grains and added sugars, thereby increasing the servings of vegetables, fruits, seafood, low-fat milk, whole grains, beans/peas, eggs, meat and poultry, as shown in Table S-1. These new guidelines also emphasize the necessity for maintaining a calorie balance by making calorie consumption recommendations to children of school-age according to their gender, age and levels of physical activity (Dyre, 2001). Revised steps in the food program The food available to the children at the SBP and NSLP should be ensured to meet the current nutritional recommendations, and also holds the potential in making the entire nation`s children accessible to low-cost nutritious foods for assisting in their growth, health and development. The meal requirements will only be beneficial, if active participation in the breakfast and lunc...