BILL REQ. #:  H-2074.1 

READ FIRST TIME 03/04/03.   

     AN ACT Relating to nutrition in public schools; adding a new section to chapter 43.70 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.320 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.210 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that:
     (1) The effects of poor dietary habits established in youth will carry with children into adulthood. Obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, and heart disease are just some of the long-term effects of poor eating habits.
     (2) Fewer than twenty-five percent of high school age children in Washington eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day as recommended. Teens are not eating adequate amounts of iron, calcium, riboflavin, thiamin, and vitamins A and C. Most teen diets lack appropriate levels of grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.
     (3) Obesity rates in Washington state have doubled over the last ten years. At least twenty percent of children are obese or at grave risk for becoming obese. Poor dietary habits can increase the risk of obesity, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.
     (4) More than a third of high school children do not engage in vigorous daily physical activity. The physical activity habits that are established in youth determine activity levels in adulthood and complement healthy diets toward reducing obesity and disease.
     (5) Public schools must set an example for children by promoting healthy eating at school meals, healthy options in their choices of competitive foods, and opportunities for physical activity.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 43.70 RCW to read as follows:
     The department, with the assistance of the office of the superintendent of public instruction, shall develop statewide recommendations for local school boards to follow when determining the nutritional content of meals served in public schools, the content of course curricula regarding nutrition, policies concerning competitive foods available to students, and policies related to increasing student physical activity. The recommendations must be based on current nutritional science that has been demonstrated to help students control excessive weight and weight gain, avoid unsafe weight loss practices, foster healthy eating habits, and avoid diseases that can be caused by unsafe dietary habits. The recommendations must be tailored to address the different health needs and associated peer pressure influences of students in elementary school, middle school, and high school.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 28A.320 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) Every board of school directors shall develop a nutritional integrity policy that addresses the principles contained in the district's nutrition education curriculum and the recommendations of the department of health and the United States department of agriculture on healthy dietary practices into the district's meal program and competitive food policy. The nutritional integrity policy shall focus on helping students control excessive weight and weight gain, avoid unsafe weight loss practices, foster healthy eating habits, exercise regularly, and avoid diseases that can be caused by unsafe dietary habits. The policy must be tailored to address the different health needs and associated peer pressure influences of students in elementary school, middle school, and high school.
     (2) If competitive foods are made available in schools, the nutritional integrity policy must require that no less than an equal number of foods that qualify as healthy under the standards of the district's nutrition education curriculum and the recommendations of the department of health and United States department of agriculture are available compared to foods that do not meet those standards. The policy must provide for standards governing the appropriate time and location of competitive foods so that they do not interfere with meal schedules. Pricing structures for foods that do not meet the district's nutritional standards for health must be reviewed so that healthy competitive foods are a feasible alternative.
     (3) The nutritional integrity policy must be reviewed and revised, as appropriate, every two years.
     (4) Parents must be provided an opportunity to review the nutritional integrity policy and comment on its development.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 28A.210 RCW to read as follows:
     The department of health and the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall develop model policies for the measurement of the body mass index of students that school districts may elect to follow.