With a controversial vote by Congress to reauthorize the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 approaching, Bethany Yon, former research associate in the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, provided pertinent research findings on Sept. 11 at a Congressional briefing on Capitol Hill.

Yon, now a nutritionist with the Vermont Department of Health focusing on chronic disease prevention, gave a 20-minute presentation titled “What are Children Eating at School Lunch?” in the Russell Senate Office Building, followed by the same talk to a packed room in the Longworth House Office Building. She focused on recent studies conducted with UVM researcher Sarah Amin, graduate student Jennifer Taylor, and Rachel Johnson, the Robert L. Bickford Jr. Professor of Nutrition, on the selection, consumption and waste of fruits and vegetables in schools, children’s milk consumption, the impact of Farm to School lunch programs and behavioral interventions with preschoolers.

Yon told those in attendance, primarily Senate and House staffers, that the 2010 USDA mandate was successful in that more children are now drinking lower-fat milk, including fat-free flavored milk with less added sugars; selecting more fruits and vegetables with their school lunch; and that children who are exposed to Farm to School programs eat more vegetables. She also said that federal programs like WIC, Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), School Meals, and Smarter Snacks have exposed a new generation of children to healthier foods.

“It was an honor to talk with a full room of Hill staffers about our research on school nutrition,” said Yon. “The growing body of research suggests that the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act is having the biggest impact among our most vulnerable children whether they live in low-income communities, have had limited exposure to fruits and vegetables, or started out consuming very small amounts of vegetables with lunch.”

Yon also discussed a study she conducted with other UVM researchers, published in Public Health Reports, titled “Impact of the National School Lunch Program on Fruit and Vegetable Selection in Northeastern Elementary Schoolchildren, 2012–2013.” Their research showed that although more students selected fruits and vegetables in larger portions under the new mandate, they consumed about one tablespoon less with lunch. While Yon and her colleagues were disappionted to see the slight decrease in consumption, they expressed confidence that through the use of different strategies over time, such as continued exposure in school, expanding Farm to School programs, and supports for staff training so that fruits and vegetables are offered in accessible and appealing forms, consumption would increase.

“It was a timely opportunity to share more details and depth that couldn't be included within the journal space limits of our recently published research brief,” said Yon. “While we expected more children would select fruits or vegetables with lunch, we were excited to see that children also selected larger portions when they were required to make a selection during the 2012-13 school year. As we continue to analyze our data, we are seeing that programs such as Farm to School make a difference in helping children select and eat more fruits and vegetables."

Yon was invited to speak by the American Society for Nutrition in partnership with the National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research. “These presentations," said Chuck Conner, president of the coalition, "provide excellent examples of the value of federally funded food and agricultural research, extension, and education in producing the scientific outcomes and outreach needed to meet 21st century challenges and opportunities."