Departments: Health
Beyond Broccoli: Vegetarianism in School

Is vegetarianism common among school children?
Recent polls show that six percent of 6-17-year-olds in the United States don't eat red meat. This figure includes the two percent of those under 18 who are completely vegetarian. Often people think teenagers are more likely to be vegetarians, but preadolescents are just as likely to choose vegetarian diets. While some children and teenagers are growing up in vegetarian families, others choose vegetarianism on their own, motivated by interest in protecting the environment and animal rights-welfare issues.

Is a vegetarian diet healthy for children?
The American Dietetic Association in 1997 recognized a positive link between vegetarian diets and reduced risk for several chronic degenerative diseases and conditions, including obesity, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and some types of cancer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also recognizes the value of a vegetarian diet. In fact, the latest version of the Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children Ages 2-6 includes soy and tofu products as alternatives in the dairy and meat food groups. Vegetarian meals-- which include more fruits, vegetables, and fiber--tend to be closer to USDA dietary guidelines than most school lunches, which according to USDA studies, tend to be too high in fat (about 34%) and sodium and too low in fiber.

Do teens fare well with a vegetarian diet?
North American teens have little problem with vegetarian and vegan diets, according to The Vegetarian Resource Group. The problem is letting junk food push fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious foods out of the diet. A diet that is deficient in needed nutrients is a problem with all kids, not just vegetarian kids. And vegetarian diets, like all diets, need to be planned appropriately to be nutritionally adequate.

It's important for teens to get enough calories to support growth. They need to be aware of good sources of iron and zinc and incorporate foods rich in these minerals into their diets. Vegans, those who eat no meat, dairy, or egg products, may need to supplement their diets with vitamin B12 and good sources of calcium. It's also a good idea for teens--or anyone interested in switching to or maintaining vegetarian lifestyle--to consult a registered dietitian for individual assessment and counseling.

Do school lunch programs offer vegetarian meals?
Most schools usually do offer some foods that qualify as vegetarian, such as pizza or salad bars, but there often aren't enough options. The reasons why more schools don't offer this are complex and involve a variety of limitations. Schools may also feel they lack the administrative or parental support to adopt vegetarian menus.

The USDA is trying to help the National School Lunch Program reflect the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans by providing school lunch recipes that are lower in fat and sodium. The latest USDA recipe book for school lunches even includes vegetarian and vegan recipes.

Can students maintain a vegetarian diet at school?
Kids often find it hard to follow a vegetarian diet at school due to limited options and pressure from peers. Reed Mangels, Ph.D, R.D., a nutrition advisor for The Vegetarian Resource Group and mother of two school-aged children, says she looks at the school menu in advance and sometimes arranges to eat lunch with her children to find out what other kids are eating. Parents can help by preparing lunches for their kids that look like the school lunch options, for example pizza with soy cheese and vegetables and other soy- and tofu-based foods like soy yogurt and "phony" bologna. And students, she says, can start a vegetarian group in their school to support each other and raise awareness.

Parents and students can support school cafeteria staff by sharing their ideas for vegetarian menus with the food service manager. But it's important to be realistic and understand that schools have certain limitations in what they can serve. If a school knows they have an interested, supportive audience and that parents and students are willing to participate in the process of identifying alternatives, the staff will feel more confident in trying to serve vegetarian options.

How can teachers include vegetarianism in class lesson plans on nutrition?
From a practical standpoint, teachers who use the USDA Food Guide Pyramid are already promoting low-fat, high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, and grains that are integral to vegetarian diets. And research shows children will eat more of these foods if they first learn about them through hands-on experience in the classroom. The Pyramid doesn't work for vegans who don't eat dairy products, however.

Since the most recent USDA Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children Ages 2-6 recognizes soy and tofu as alternatives in the milk and meat food groups, it's getting easier to incorporate vegetarianism into classroom nutrition lessons. If parents are concerned that the classroom lessons are not meeting the needs of their child, however, they should talk to teachers to let them know they have a vegetarian student, and even help them learn more and find resources about vegetarian foods to share with other students.

Resources

• The Vegetarian Resource Group produces The Vegetarian Journal, Healthy Fast Food for Pre-Schoolers, and other resources for educators and families. Visit www.vrg.org, E-mail vrg@vrg.org, or call 410/366-8343.

• The Food Allergy Network offers recipes and handouts on foods that contain possible allergens. Visit www.foodallergy.org or write 10400 Eaton Place, Suite 107, Fairfax, VA 22030-2208.

• To help children learn about healthy eating and for tips on using the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children, visit www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/care/
  publications/kidspyramid.htm.

• The American Dietetic Association offers information on vegetarian diets and a food guide pyramid for vegetarian meal planning. Visit www.vrg.org/nutrition/adapaper.htm.

A Death-Defying Act

How's this for a reason to get active: It can save your life! After suffering from a heart attack and undergoing double bypass surgery, doctors tell teacher and bodybuilder Ron Smith: 'Being fit saved your life.'

He's the picture of health: a former body builder who eats right, exercises daily, and tries his hardest to get enough sleep. But last year, at age 46, Oregon teacher Ron Smith suffered a serious heart attack and underwent double bypass surgery.

"I shouldn't be alive right now," he says. "The doctors tell me the only reason I'm still breathing today is because of the years I spent exercising my body and my heart."

Smith, an agricultural science and technology teacher at Nestucca High School in Cloverdale, began lifting weights 20 years ago when diagnosed with diabetes.

"The doctors gave me three options: take medication, seriously cut back on my eating, or start exercising," he says. "I don't like medicines and there's no way I was going to starve myself, so I threw myself into lifting weights."

For the next eight years, Smith won numerous bodybuilding competitions and even owned a gym. While coaching other bodybuilders, he discovered his love for teaching. Smith decided to complete his master's degree, then took a job at Nestucca High. But he soon realized he had nowhere to lift weights.

"So I used my role as teacher, and my engineering experience, to motivate students to build the best high school gym in Oregon," he says.

Smith and his students designed and fabricated all of the machines, dumbbells, and benches in the school's weight room by hand. The gym, says Smith, is good enough for competitive bodybuilders--including his wife, who placed fourth in the nation two years ago.

It was during an early morning training session last year that Smith felt pains in his chest and fell to the ground. He was rushed to the hospital, but doctors, not knowing what was wrong, sent him home hours later.

For three weeks, Smith continued to follow his daily exercise schedule--but his chest still hurt. Finally, at the urging of his wife, he drove two hours to Portland for a check-up with a cardiologist.

"They wanted to admit me right there for bypass surgery," he says. "They were floored that I was functioning like I was."

After surgery, doctors told him just how lucky he was. "Of the three major arteries that go into the heart, I had 100 percent blockage in one, and 95 percent blockage in another," he says. "I learned that all those years of lifting weights and keeping in shape kept me alive."

Within four weeks, Smith was back to judging bodybuilding competitions. Within six weeks, he was back to a modified version of his exercise routine. While the heart attack may not have been preventable because of the diabetes, says Smith, what was preventable was dying.

"Everyone has their own ideas of what being in shape means," he says. "I just urge people to move their bodies so their blood can pump through their hearts. You never know when a strong heart might save your life."

--Dina S. G?mez

Three Tips for Success

As a former personal trainer and bodybuilding champion, Ron Smith knows what it takes to get--and stay--in shape:

Consistency: Choose an exercise routine that fits with your schedule, and stick to it. "Don't say you'll work out five days and then only work out three," says Smith. "Start with three days, get on a schedule, and then grow your routine from there."

Intensity: Exercising means challenging yourself. "Don't go to the gym and use the lightest weights," he says. "If you're going to invest the time, you should at least break a sweat."

Commitment: Good nutrition and adequate sleep are as important as exercise. "Eighty percent of being fit has to do with what you put in your body," he says. "And you have to commit to six to eight hours of sleep per night so your body can recover from the exercise."

Quick Tip

By Sameta Rush

April is tax time and a good month to start an exercise investment plan:

• First, consult your physician for guidance or limitations.
• Invest 10 minutes of exercise three times a week.
• Diversify your portfolio: Try brisk walks in the halls. Walk the stairs several times. Jog between the lines in the gym. Kick a soccer ball for 10 minutes. Try water aerobics for joint pain. Improve upper body strength by holding soup cans while walking.
• Remember that talking about your day is a method of stress reduction, and sharing with someone while exercising is a double bonus.

Sameta Rush, a competitive cyclist and triathlete, teaches fourth grade and video production at Strawberry Park Elementary School in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

• Prevenir el Embarazo Juvenil
  The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, in collaboration with the Bravo Group, one of the nation's leading Hispanic communication firms, has created Consejos a Los Padres para Prevenir el Embarazo Juvenil. This publication offers practical tips to help Hispanic parents, educators, and other adults address sex, love, and relationships with adolescents. For information, call 202/478-8566 or visit www.teenpregnancy.org.

• Cancer Survivors
  NEA's Health Information Network is collecting pictures of NEA member cancer survivors for an exhibit at the July 2001 NEA Representative Assembly in Los Angeles. Pictures submitted previously will not be used again. NEA HIN also will launch an NEA Cancer Survivor's Caucus this summer. Visit our exhibit booth at the RA to have your picture taken and instantly added to our exhibit. For more, visit www.neahin.org or call 800/718-8387.

• Quit Smoking
  To get a free copy of the Public Health Service consumer brochure You Can Quit Smoking in English or Spanish, call 800/358-9295.

• School Health
  The American Cancer Society has created three comprehensive guidebooks that provide practical guidance for improving school health. Awareness Campaigns (#2030.02) describes planning and implementing a targeted awareness campaign. A Guide to the Role of School Health (#2030.01) offers strategies to advocate for a community school health coordinator, and A Guide to School Health Councils (#0201) encourages involvement in school health councils and committees guiding school policy and programs. To order, call 800/ACS-2345 and refer to code numbers.