Nutrition

• Approximately one out of 10 Colorado high school students is overweight. Source
• Approximately 2.5 out of 10 Colorado high school students ate five or more servings of fruits and vegetables during the past seven days. Source
• Slightly more than half of all states, including Colorado, neither requires nor recommends that schools make fruits and vegetables available to students. Source
• Colorado neither requires nor recommends that schools prohibit junk foods in six out of eight school settings, including vending machines, after-school programs, or school stores and snack bars. Source
• Among Colorado voters, 94 percent support an effort to increase nutritional standards for school lunches, reducing high-fat and high-calorie foods in favor of more fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and other healthy choices. Source
• Colorado is one of 16 states that do not require schools to offer breakfast or lunch to students. Source
  Research shows students who regularly attend school breakfast programs perform better, and have fewer psychosocial symptoms, less hyperactivity and better daily attendance.
• Colorado is one of 36 states that do not offer certification, licensure or endorsement for district food service directors and school food service managers. Source