News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
CONTACT: Jeanne S McVey
tel: 202-686-2210, ext. 316; jeannem@pcrm.org
School Lunches Still Feeding
Obesity Epidemic, Doctors Say
Annual Nutrition Report Card Awards Only One
A; D.C. Public Schools Get an F
WASHINGTON—Children heading back to school in Detroit, Miami,
and other large school districts will be getting school lunches
that have dramatically improved over the last year, according to
the latest School Lunch Report Card issued by the Physicians Committee
for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). Other
large districts, however, such as the District of Columbia, are
failing to provide healthy meals that will help combat the current
epidemic of childhood overweight and other diet-related health problems.
“With childhood obesity one of the nation’s most serious
health concerns, kids need less junk food in the schools,”
says Jen Keller, R.D., PCRM’s nutrition projects coordinator.
“In Detroit, the school lunches went from an F in 2002 to
an A this year, and that means those kids are getting fewer greasy
chicken nuggets and more cholesterol-free, low-fat, fruits, vegetables,
and vegetarian entrées. School districts such as Los Angeles
have been slow to learn and need to follow Detroit’s lead
if we are going to combat alarmingly high rates of childhood diabetes
and incipient heart disease.”
PCRM’s nutrition department graded the nutritional quality
of the elementary school lunches served in 18 of the largest U.S.
school districts participating in the federally assisted National
School Lunch Program. The program is operated by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA). Here are the results:
| District |
Location |
Score |
Grade |
| Group 1: Class Act |
Detroit City School District |
Detroit, Mich. |
94% |
A |
| Group 2: Solid Achievers |
Miami-Dade County School District |
Miami, Fla. |
89% |
B+ |
Gwinnett County Public School District |
Lawrenceville, Ga. |
88% |
B+ |
Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District |
Charlotte, N.C. |
87% |
B+ |
Fairfax County Public School District |
Fairfax, Va. |
86% |
B |
Pinellas County School District |
Largo, Fla. |
Broward County School District |
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. |
85% |
B |
Hillsborough County School District |
Tampa, Fla. |
New York City Public School District |
New York, N.Y. |
81% |
B- |
Philadelphia City School District |
Philadelphia, Pa. |
80% |
B- |
| Group 3: Passable
Performers |
Montgomery County Public School District |
Rockville, Md. |
78% |
C+ |
Prince George's County Public School District |
Upper Marlboro, Md. |
Dallas Independent School District |
Dallas, Texas |
77% |
C+ |
Palm Beach County School District |
Riviera Beach, Fla. |
76% |
C |
Los Angeles Unified School District |
Los Angeles, Calif. |
71% |
C- |
San Diego City Unified School District |
San Diego, Calif. |
70% |
C- |
| Group 4: Failing Programs |
Clark County School District |
Las Vegas, Nevada |
59% |
F |
District of Columbia Public Schools |
Washington, D.C. |
46% |
F |
For a copy of the report, please visit www.pcrm.org/news/health030820lunchreport.html.
For an interview with a PCRM nutrition expert, contact Jeanne Stuart
McVey at 202-686-2210, ext. 316, or jeannem@pcrm.org.
Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible
Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive
medicine, especially good nutrition. PCRM also conducts clinical
research studies, opposes unethical human experimentation, and promotes
alternatives to animal research.
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