Wellness Update

By Jennifer Wilinsky, Food Service Supervisor

For the first time in history, it is predicted that our children will face a shorter lifespan than we will due to the complications of obesity. Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled, and today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese. One third of all children born in 2000 or later will suffer from diabe­tes at some point in their lives; many others will face chronic obesity-related health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma. A recent study put the health care costs of obesity-related diseases at $147 billion per year.

Many children consume as many as half of their daily calories at school. As families work to ensure that kids eat right and have active play at home, we also need to ensure our kids have access to healthy meals in their schools. With more than 31 million children participating in the National School Lunch Program and more than 11 million participating in the National School Breakfast Program, good nutrition at school is more important than ever. Together with the private sector and the non-profit community, the U.S govern­ment is taking many steps to get healthier food in our schools.

 At CHOR, we have made great strides to adapt to the sug­gestions made from these health and wellness initiatives. In the past year, we have revised all menus: eliminating whole and 2% milk, serving 100% fruit juice, and buying whole grain food items. We have also greatly reduced the sodium and fat content, while still meeting the recom­mended nutrient guidelines for our clients. This has re­sulted in 52% of our residential clients trending toward a healthier weight as opposed to the majority of our clients consistently gaining weight in previous years. They have been making healthier food selections and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Many clients are proud of the accomplishments they made in not only losing weight, but feeling better and healthier.