08/19/2026
August KACO Post
I had the privilege of attending KY AAP's 21st Annual Office Based Pediatrics Meeting this past August 15th. Hopefully we will have successfully recruited some new members!
Of interest, there is a new Policy Statement published in Pediatrics (Zmuda et al.) that addresses our role in promoting children and adolescent nutrition in schools. The statement calls on us to support universal school nutrition as a way to provide a positive eating environment for children to enjoy a variety of high-quality meals and snacks.
In addition to combating food insecurity and providing a safety net for our children, the school nutrition program could provide an experiential education in healthy, nutritious eating.
The safety net we currently provide consists of:
School Breakfast Programs
National School Lunch Programs
After School Snacks and Meals
Child and Adult Care Food Program
Special Milk Program
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
Summer Food Service Program
Farm to School Program
The Policy Statement Offers Several Recommendations. Paraphrased and reorganized below:
-Offer nutritional guidance based on current best evidence (DGA)
-Support implementation of USDA guidelines for school meals and snacks
-Exceed federal nutrition requirements when able
-Participate in wellness councils to advocate to:
Limit advertiser/industry influence and input
Encourage community input
Collaborate with dietitians, school nurses, food service directors
-Advocate on the state and federal level to:
Expand universal access to nutritious meals for all children
Elizabeth Zmuda, Tamara S. Hannon, Jennifer Valentic, Council on School Health, Committee on Nutrition; The Role of the Pediatrician to Promote Effective Approaches for Child and Adolescent Nutrition in Schools: Policy Statement. Pediatrics July 2026; 158 (1): e2026077404. 10.1542/peds.2026-077404
