September 18, 2003
Contact:
Rosalind M. Wilkins, MS, RD, LD
Nutrition Policy and Education Unit
Section for Nutritional Health and
Services
573-751-6183
USDA taps Missouri to receive
nutrition education grant
Missouri’s efforts to block its
growing childhood obesity rate took another step forward recently when the
state was named as one of 21 to share in a new $4 million federal grant aimed
at improving the eating habits of the nation’s youth.
Faced with the distinction of
rating ninth in the nation in terms of obesity, Missouri is focusing its
efforts on nutrition education as one of the tools in combating this growing
crisis which threatens both the physical and economic health of the state’s
citizens. The new grant will help facilitate this effort.
“The Missouri Department of Health
and Senior Services is excited to receive the award for the Team Nutrition
training grant,” said Rosalind M. Wilkins of the Nutrition Policy and Education
Unit. “In collaboration with the schools and child care programs, we will be
able to improve children's lifelong eating habits by providing training and
technical assistance to food service professionals, promoting nutrition
education in the classroom, and building school and community support for creating
healthy school environments.”
The Team Nutrition funds, which
were awarded to the selected states through a competitive grant process, come
from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Services and are
aimed at “reducing rates of childhood obesity and creating healthier school
environments,” according to Agriculture Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and
Consumer Services Eric M. Bost. “The Team Nutrition grants … are resources that
schools and state agencies can use to achieve the goal of improving children’s
nutrition habits.”
With the new funding, the state’s
health department is expected to reach approximately 1,500 food service
professionals, and 680 childcare program and school administrators with
training workshops. Examples of these workshops include two newly developed
training sessions dealing with topics such as culturally sensitive menu
planning and financially viable vending for healthy food choices.
-more-
Additionally, the funds will help
the state-sponsored School Nutrition Education Program to expand to include
evaluation of available curriculum to meet the nutrition education needs of
pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Simultaneously, the federally sponsored
Changing the Scene nutrition program, which is a policy approach to an improved
nutrition environment, will include more schools and childcare centers. Plus,
an existing electronic communication network will be expanded statewide to
deliver timely Team Nutrition updates to schools and childcare centers.
For more information on school
nutrition programs, go to http://www.dhss.state.mo.us/MissouriNutrition/school-changing_scene.htm.