
April 29, 2020
How To Improve School Lunches, Grades, And Behavior At No Extra Cost | Jill Shah on The Doctor’s Farmacy with Mark Hyman
Check out The Doctor’s Farmacy Podcast Page & Episode Notes
Key Takeaways
- Alarming statistics in the US:
- 46 million people are on SNAP (food stamps)
- 1 in 4 kids are on SNAP
- 1 in 10 kids are on ADD medication
- 1 in 5 kids are obese
- 2 in 5 kids are overweight
- “If a kid is overweight, he’s likely to live 13 years less than someone who’s not overweight. More likely to struggle in life, earn less money, have a worse job, have more disability, more unhappiness, more suffering and this is a totally preventable thing.” – Mark Hyman
- One school removed sugar and refined foods and added healthier food options. 12 months later there was a 21% reduction in antisocial behavior, a 25% reduction in assaults, a 75% reduction in user restraints, and a 100% reduction in suicide!
- A 2014 CDC report found a strong link between poor nutrition and poor academic performance (lower test scores, lower grades, lower cognitive function, less alertness, poor memory)
- “This is the first generation in history where life expectancy is going down and one in three kids born today will have diabetes in their lifetime” – Mark Hyman
Intro
- Jill Shah (@jillshah) is the President of the Shah Family Foundation and creator of My Way Cafe
- Jill made a documentary about school lunches called Eat Up
- Host: Mark Hyman (@drmarkhyman)
- Mark’s latest book: Food Fix
School Meals Are Vital For Kids
- 70% of kids who attend Boston public schools live at or below the poverty line
- Some schools have turned school buses into delivery vehicles to deliver food to kids in need
- Boston is currently giving 10,000-12,000 meals daily to kids. However, before COVID-19, the city was giving meals to 30,000 kids daily
- “School food is more critical than ever right now” – Jill Shah
- Boston is currently giving 10,000-12,000 meals daily to kids. However, before COVID-19, the city was giving meals to 30,000 kids daily
- Some schools have turned school buses into delivery vehicles to deliver food to kids in need
- The US government spends $25 billion on school meals every year
Alarming Statistics About Americans
- 46 million people are on SNAP (food stamps)
- 1 in 4 kids are on SNAP
- 1 in 10 kids are on ADD medication
- 1 in 5 kids are obese
- 2 in 5 kids are overweight
- “If a kid is overweight, he’s likely to live 13 years less than someone who’s not overweight. More likely to struggle in life, earn less money, have a worse job, have more disability, more unhappiness, more suffering and this is a totally preventable thing.” – Mark Hyman
- “This is the first generation in history where life expectancy is going down and one in three kids born today will have diabetes in their lifetime” – Mark Hyman
Making School Lunches Healthy
- Most schools don’t have kitchens, they don’t have freezers and ovens
- Jill was shocked to see how much processed food kids ate
- After examining school budgets, Jill saw that prepackaged foods actually cost more than real, fresh food
- “If you buy prepackaged stuff because it’s been processed, there’s so much more cost in it and then you’ve got margin on it as well” – Jill Shah
- By serving students real food, you also employ three times as many people while still saving on the cost
- As more schools adopt the real food model, the costs will drop further since schools can buy food bulk at a lower price
- By serving students real food, you also employ three times as many people while still saving on the cost
- “If you buy prepackaged stuff because it’s been processed, there’s so much more cost in it and then you’ve got margin on it as well” – Jill Shah
- Jill’s organization has helped about 30 public schools a year shift to use fresh food to make meals
- The schools offer kids a buffet so they can eat what they want and less food is wasted
Availablity of Nutritious Food Has A Huge Impact
- One school removed sugar and refined foods and added healthier food options. 12 months later there was a 21% reduction in antisocial behavior, a 25% reduction in assaults, a 75% reduction in user restraints, and a 100% reduction in suicide!
- Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in children aged 10-19
- Kids who are well nourished perform better in schools
- Kids who aren’t well-nourished have more absentees, disruptive behaviors, and more inattentive in class
- A 2014 CDC report found a strong link between poor nutrition and poor academic performance (lower test scores, lower grades, lower cognitive function, less alertness, poor memory)
- By feeding kids healthy meals, Jill’s program has seen an increase in student participation by 20% while also decreasing food waste
Additional Notes
- If you want your children’s school to implement healthier lunches, talk to the school’s superintendent and the food service director of that school district