Impact of Healthy Food 1 of 2

Barbara Reed Stitt, author of Food and Behavior, A Natural Connection had learned about the profound effects of food in the unlikely position of probation officer. The first thing she did with anyone who came under her care was to change their diet. Time and time again their lives turned around.

Appleton Central Alternative Charter High School (ACA) opened its doors in February of 1996 to give individualized attention to students struggling in the conventional school settings. Despite this close attention, students behavioral problems continued to be extremely problematic.

Barbara Stitt and her husband Paul, a biochemist, approached their local school (ACA) with an offer that was as unusual as it was generous. Take out the vending machines, take out the processed foods, and feed the students fresh, whole, nutritious food and watch their behavior improve. And the Stitts will pay the bill. In fact, since the Stitts owned Natural Ovens, a whole foods bakery, their company would send the school plenty of its own healthy fare AND place one of their own cooks on site at the school's kitchen.

In 1997, ACA teamed up with Natural Ovens Bakery to offer the students a free, nutritious breakfast. The following year (the 1998-99 school year) Natural Ovens sponsored the installation of a full kitchen and dining service (offering both breakfast and lunch).

Appleton Central Alternative High School is, well, an "alternative school"; a place where problem students end up. Greg Bretthauer, the dean of students, was offered the job prior to the program and found the students "rude, obnoxious, and ill-mannered." The school had so many problems with discipline and weapons violations that a police officer was recruited to be on the staff.

The new program had an instantaneous effect. In the state of Wisconsin, each school is required to file a report each year detailing the number of students who have dropped out, been expelled, committed suicide, or got caught using drugs or carrying weapons. Since the start of the program, the numbers at ACAHS have been the same each year, zero! This would be a stat that any public or private school would be proud of. For an alternative school, it's nothing short of astonishing.

Appleton Central Alternative High School serves both a nutritious breakfast and lunch. There are no vending machines within the school and no carry-in food and/or beverages are allowed. In addition, ACAHS offers bottled water and encourages students to carry water bottles. Ninety-five per cent (95%) of Central students participate in the nutrition program.

The company that set up the AHAHS lunch program: http://www.naturalovens.com/

Category:

Education

Tags:

• food
• behavior
• barbara
• stitt
• paul
• appelton
• central
• alternative
• high
• school
• nutrition
• health

[michael37421]

This is good stuff. Please share this with any teacher you know. We need to implement a nutrition program like this as soon as possible.

[rawjvh]

The daughter of a friend of mine took the video to the principal of her high school. After many weeks and many inquiries, the teaches there still have not seen this video.

The information is there. Many people, caught in old habits, don't want o hear it.

[jamisonmedia]

It's amazing that every school district in the country is not doing a nutrition program like this. It just makes common sense that good nutrition will help students in their studies as well as behavior.

[rawjvh]

I was thinking the same thing when I posted these videos. But, you can bring people to the video or the video to the people but you can't make 'em watch it! lol

[theother1percent]

I live very close to this and know a few kids that go there. It really has helped the school.

[1776AmericaFirst]

big thumbs up!

[PsychiatryExposed]

Hope the government gets this. I imagine by the year 5023.

[Retro80Lady30]

@RingneckDoveFan True, but it is hard to change from food your used to eating. It is like telling a person who eats to much to eat little. It is more than just going to a doctor it is also spiritual why they look for food to have pleasure instead of what matters most in life. Having faith in God helps people to keep from eating to much. As for eating things that can cause you to gain weight if our health was bad of course we would quit. There are lists of things not to eat even in Bible.

[hmmmmm1988]

@Retro80Lady30 If it isn't one of your priorities to be healthy or to feed your kids healthy food, then I don't know what is.

[RingneckDoveFan]

My friend attends Weymouth High School. She eats milk, pizza, cheez-its, and a lemonade made from concentrate everyday. On select days, she gets a large brownie, cookies, or both from the school's bakery.

What world are we living in? All of that food on a daily basis is trash.

[RingneckDoveFan]

@Retro80Lady30

Ok well not everyone is like that.

Second, eating a healthy diet is NOT just about weight. It plays a part in everything else.

[Retro80Lady30]

@midwest26 You are right why can't people seem to figure this out. The reason why some parents buy the junk food which I don't think is that bad is because it is cheaper. People eat what they can afford as well. This is why being judgemental only makes people look bad. Some parents don't have a choice in what they purchase or the time it takes to make long meals with jobs, and multiple children.

[Retro80Lady30]

I look at this way if you can get away with it eat what you want while you can. I personally don't find health food very tasty. Is it really healthy since vegetables are covered in chemicals, and genetically modified? Why does the government pretend like they care all of a sudden when people have been large for many years. Meds can also cause people to pack on weight, and if kids are taking pills because people would rather throw them a pill than show them love that starts bad habits as well.

[Retro80Lady30]

My daughter doesn't like what they serve at school most of the time she just waits until she gets home to eat. She says they mix weird food together, and they eat foods like asian rice that she doesn't eat at home. She said it smells bad. Our family can eat anything without gaining weight. I have been eating junk for years, and after three kids I'm still 98 pounds. It is also genetics as being a factor so I don't judge people.