Nutrition

• Only four of Colorado’s 23 largest school districts surveyed by the Colorado Children’s Campaign require that all snacks meet nutritional standards in all schools. Source
• Six require that all snacks meet nutritional standards in elementary schools.
• Eight require that at least 50 percent of snacks in all schools meet nutritional standards.
• Two have no nutritional standards or guidelines for snacks.
• 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.
• Only 39 percent of Colorado’s children who qualify for a low-cost or no-cost school meal eat both a school breakfast and lunch. Source
• 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