North Carolina Student Community Health Alliance (NCSCHA)Nutrition
Recent studies show rapidly increasing numbers of school aged children follow unhealthy eating and physical activity patterns resulting in their being obese and overweight. Even more alarming are the health risk factors associated with childhood obesity, such as elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels are also increasing as the numbers of overweight and obese children continue to climb. More and more, scientific evidence reveal serious and costly chronic diseases that manifested in adult life actually stem from poor childhood eating patterns and physical inactivity. Additional complications associated with childhood overweight include sleep apnea, obesity hypoventilation and a variety of orthopedic impediments affecting feet, legs, and hips. Research has linked childhood overweigh with morbid obesity and premature death in adulthood.
It is the position of the American Dietetic Association (ADA), the Society for Nutrition Education (SNE), and the American School Food Service Association (ASFSA) that comprehensive nutrition services must be provided to all of the nation’s preschool through grade twelve students.
According to registered dietitian and former ADA President Julie O’Sullivan Maillet, “The school setting is a logical focal point of what should be a comprehensive effort to help children remain healthy for life by making sound choices about eating and exercising. Dietetics professionals have the training and expertise to work with schools and provide beneficial nutrition services to improve the health and well-being of our nation’s children.”
The role of a registered dietitian in school based and school linked health care centers is to promote healthful food behaviors by:
- Providing medical nutrition therapy (MNT) to students and directing nutrition care in the clinic,
- Partnering with school foodservice managers in planning and preparation of more healthful meal options that meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans,
- And collaborating with teachers on nutrition education as a guest speaker on specific nutrition topics and through integration of nutrition messages into subject areas.
Medicaid and other third party payers reimburse medical nutrition therapy provided for several nutrition-related medical conditions and some preventive services. Billable MNT services can generate revenue for sustainability and viability of the clinic’s nutrition services.
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