Study Will Determine Nutrition Program Effectiveness
The Alameda County Office of Education on Wednesday received a $300,000 state grant to evaluate the effectiveness of a pilot program that encourages schools to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables for students, the Oakland Tribune reports.
The office's California Healthy Kids Resource Center will assess the California Fresh Start Pilot Program in conjunction with the Center for Weight and Health at the University of California-Berkeley. The program has been running for two years.
Participating schools receive an additional 10 cents per student breakfast to purchase fruits and vegetables. Schools are specifically encouraged to purchase fresh produce, rather than canned or frozen foods.
Gail Woodward-Lopez, associate director of the Center for Weight and Health, said schools will be randomly selected for evaluation in the study (Rauh, Oakland Tribune, 9/7).