Text Box: Fruit & Vegetables are Important According to the USDA, poor nutrition—including eating too much fat, sugar and sodium and not eating enough fruits and vegetables—affects students’ performance in school. Poor nutrition affects kids’ energy levels, ability to concentrate, and ability to learn. Poor nutrition also leads to increased illness and absenteeism. Title: Are students at your school or district eating enough fruits and vegetables? Researchers: Dole Food Company, Inc. Findings: Children Eat Less Than Half of The 5 Recommended Servings of Fruits and Vegetables A Day Most children in the U.S. are not eating enough fruits and vegetables (1998 USDA data). Fewer than 15 percent of elementary students eat the recommended 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Over half of all elementary students eat no fruit on any given day and three out of 10 students eat less than one serving of vegetables a day. One-quarter of all vegetables eaten by elementary students are French fries, a high-fat, low nutrient vegetable option. For more information on what kids in the United States are eating, go to our 1999 report on The Exploding Pyramid, which shows how children are eating too many high fat, high sugar foods and not enough nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables and grains. To learn more about how you can encourage kids to eat more fruits and vegetables, read our Tips for Getting kids to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables. Source: http://www.dole5day.com Text Box: Fruit = Brought to you by the SFASD Dept. of Food Services