Grade: 99



Eat Right, Stay Healthy: A Proposal for Employing a Registered Dietitian

[pic]

By: Student B

Technical Writing, N1

Summer, 2009

Eat Right, Stay Healthy: A Proposal for Employing a Registered Dietitian

for

Dr. Jackie Domingue

Technical Writing Instructor

Blinn College

Bryan, TX

by

Student B

Technical Writing

30 July 2009

July 30, 2009

5222 FM 1111

Schulenburg, TX 78956

Dr. Jackie Domingue

Technical Writing Instructor

Blinn College

1234 Villa Maria

Bryan, TX 77840

Dear Dr. Domingue:

I am pleased to present my Formal Report for Technical Writing to you. For this project, I prepared a proposal for employing a Registered Dietitian at Weimar Independent School District. This proposal explains the need for a dietitian on staff due to the current childhood obesity epidemic, and the role a dietitian will play in both the school and community.

I composed this proposal for the Weimar school district administrators, staff, students and their parents, as well as the entire Weimar community. The proposal is divided into three major sections: childhood obesity, the school’s current actions, and a Registered Dietitian on campus. Within each section are subsections with more specific details; for example, in the second section I explained the current food service program at Weimar ISD and its potential areas of improvement.

While compiling this report, I received valuable information from the current Food Service Coordinator and Business Manager at Weimar ISD. I also broadened my knowledge of the nation’s obesity problem from the extensive research involved. I hope you enjoy this proposal as much as I have while composing it.

Sincerely,

Student B

Student B

Informative Abstract

Eat Right, Stay Healthy: A Proposal for Employing a Registered Dietitian

This proposal is for the Weimar Independent School District administration and staff as well as students, parents, and other members of the Weimar community. It is composed in a simple, organized manner to ensure it is easily understood.

The proposal in divided into three main sections: childhood obesity, the school’s current actions, and a Registered Dietitian on campus. Within in each main section, I have included subsections; for example, in the third section I have included information on the benefits of having a Registered Dietitian on campus and the services he or she will provide. Administrators should be aware that employing a dietitian at WISD will not only be beneficial for the students, but for the teachers, other staff members, and the community as well. It would also be a step in the right direction towards overcoming the obesity epidemic.

All related memos and reports are included in the appendix.

iii

Table of Contents

Page

TITLE PAGE……………………………………………………………………… i

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL…………………………………………………… ii

INFORMATIVE ABSTRACT……………………………………………………. iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………….. iv

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS………………………………………………………. v

GLOSSARY………………………………………………………………………… 1

INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………. 2

CHILDHOOD OBESITY………………………………………………………….. 3

History/Overview………………………………………………………… 3

Prevalence in Texas Schools……………………………………………… 5

Consequences of Childhood Obesity……………………………………. 7

SCHOOL’S CURRENT ACTIONS………………………………………………. 8

National School Lunch Program………………………………………… 8

Nutrition Outside the Cafeteria…………………………………………. 10

A REGISTERED DIETITIAN ON CAMPUS…………………………………… 11

Role on Campus…………………………………………………………… 11

Benefits……………………………………………………………………... 11

Cost of Employment………………………………………………………. 13

CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………….. 14

BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………………… 15

APPENDIX A: ORIGINAL PROPOSAL………………………………………… 18

iv

List of Illustrations

Page

Figure 1. Childhood Obesity Trend……………………………………………….. 4

Figure 2. Number of Hours of TV/Video Games per Day……………………… 5

Figure 3. Prevalence of Overweight and Obese ………………….…………….… 6

Figure 4. Qualifications for Food Service Coordinators………..……………….... 9

Figure 5. Total Cost of Employment….…………………………………………….. 14

V

Glossary

[pic]

Obese – children with BMI (Body Mass Index) values at or above the 95th percentile of the sex and age specific growth charts (“Fighting…”)

Overweight – children with BMI (Body Mass Index) values greater than the 85th percentile for their age and sex (“Fighting…”)

Calories – A unit of food energy. In nutrition terms, the word calorie is used instead of the more precise scientific term kilocalorie which represents the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of a liter of water one degree Celsius (“Calories”).

Type 2 Diabetes – a chronic disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood because of a problem in the way the body makes or uses insulin (“Type 2…”).

Sleep Apnea – a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep due to a collapsed or blocked airway. It happens more often in those that are overweight (“Sleep Apnea”).

Texas Public School Nutrition Policy – an unfunded mandate to promote a healthy school environment for Texas students. It was implemented statewide in the fall of 2004. The policy applies to foods of minimal nutritional value, any type of candy, and also restricts the provision of “competitive foods,” which are all foods and beverages not provided by school food services (“Texas Public…”).

Registered Dietitian – a food and nutrition expert who has met the minimum academic and professional requirements to qualify for the credential “RD”. He or she has received a bachelor’s degree from a U.S. regionally accredited university or college, completed a CADE-accredited supervised practice program for a duration of 12 months, and has passed a national examination administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (“Registered…”).

Annual salary – the annual salary has been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a ‘year-round, full-time’ hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data (“Occupational…”).

Note: All terms are marked by an asterisk (*) the first time they appear in the text.

1

Introduction

[pic]

As with most schools in Texas and other states, Weimar Independent School District (WISD) does not have a Registered Dietitian (RD)* on staff. According to the American Dietetic Association, only 3 percent of Registered Dietitians are employed in the school foodservice setting (“Registered…” par. 5). Therefore, children and their parents must rely solely on the school nurse for their nutrition inquiries and dietary needs. Although the school nurse is a licensed RN, she is not licensed as a Registered Dietitian and not qualified or expected to provide dietary information to the students, administration, or staff. Thus, I am writing this proposal to the Weimar Independent School District administration in efforts to employ a Registered Dietician. The proposal includes an overview and history of childhood obesity, services and benefits a Registered Dietitian will provide, and costs of employment.

The rate of childhood obesity in America has skyrocketed in the past decade. Approximately 9 million children “over the age of 6 are considered obese*” (Koplan 1). According to the Texas Department of Agriculture, in Texas alone, “more than 35 percent of children are considered overweight* or obese” (par. 1). This percentage is greater than that of the nation as a whole. A primary cause of this phenomenon is uneducated parents, children, and cafeteria staff. Therefore, with a Registered Dietitian on staff, parents and children (especially

2

those with special dietary needs) will have easy access to important informationon proper eating habits and living a healthy lifestyle. Although the primary practice of proper nutrition should be at home, schools must provide and influence exemplary eating habits for children as well.

Childhood Obesity

[pic]History/Overview

Childhood obesity has been plaguing the nation for several years, and its prevalence and severity has caused it to become an epidemic. It has established itself as the number one health risk in America (Schmitt 1). Researchers indicate that over the past three decades those considered obese has “more than doubled in pre-school children ages 2 to 5 and adolescents ages 12 to 19, and has more than tripled for children ages 6 to 11” (Koplan1). According to the National Center of Health, “approximately one child of every five in the United States is overweight (“Fighting Childhood Obesity” 1), and as of 2008, 10 percent of

3

children ages 2 to 5 and 15 percent of those ages 6 to 19 were obese (Schmitt 1). The trend is displayed below. [pic]

Figure 1. Source of Data: “Texas Overweight & Obesity Statistics” (Nov. 2008)

This sudden rise in obesity is most likely due to the social, cultural, and technological shift our nation has undergone. Children are spending less time outside engaging in physical activities and more time inside in front of televisions and computer screens. Thus, they are consuming more calories* than expending causing them to become overweight or obese. The graph below demonstrates this shift.

4

[pic]

Figure 2. Source of Data: “Texas Overweight & Obesity Statistics” (Nov. 2008)

Aslo, the rise of fast food venues and restaurants have changed the nation’s lifestyle. Children sooner eat on the go instead of sitting down to a home-cooked meal, thus developing poor eating habits. Furthermore, fast food and unhealthy snacks are creeping into school cafeterias and vending machines. Since children spend the majority of their time at school, the school environment has a significant impact on children’s diets and plays a vital role in educating them on the importance of healthy eating behaviors that they can carry with them into adulthood.

Prevalence in Texas Schools

5

As the saying goes, ‘everything is bigger in Texas’, including it’s youth. It

is estimated that more than 40 percent of Texas children are overweight or obese (“Fact Sheet…”par. 1). This number is larger than that of the nation as a whole. In Houston alone, “36.2 percent of children ages 6 to 17 are overweight” and “19.2 percent are obese” (“Fact Sheet…” par. 2). The figure below illustrates data for the overall percentages of obese Texas schoolchildren from 2004-2005 in intervals of fourth-graders, eighth-graders, and eleventh-graders.

[pic] Figure 3. Source of Data: “Texas Overweight & Obesity Statistics” (Nov. 2008)

Therefore, Texas ranks sixth in the nation in the percentage of obese youth ages

6

10-17 (Bailey-Hutchison par. 2). This number will only continue to climb higher

if schools and parents neglect to take the proper measures in promoting healthier eating habits and lifestyles to the youth. As a reporter from the Texas A&M Health Science Center points out “if we don’t address this, the next generation of Texas children may very well be the first generation to grow up less healthy than their parents” (2). Thus, employing a Registered Dietitian at WISD is a step in the right direction in helping both Texas and America’s youth.

Consequences of Childhood Obesity

The major concern with childhood obesity is the numerous health risks involved. These risks include type 2 diabetes* high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, cancer, fatty liver disease, sleep apnea* gallstones, and exercise intolerance. As the rate of childhood obesity continues to increase the diseases related to it increase as well.

Also, obese children are more likely to become obese adults and carry the risk of health problems with them as they age. The Texas Children’s Hospital reports that “a child who is obese by age 12 has more than a 75 percent chance of becoming an obese adult” (“Fact Sheet…”par. 2). This in turn can produce alarming medical costs. According to a National Hospital Discharge Survey, annual hospital costs among children due to obesity “tripled in the past three

7

years due to a doubling of diabetes cases, a tripling of gallbladder disease, and a

five-fold increase in sleep apnea” (“Fact Sheet…” par. 3). Also, outside of medical costs, it is estimated that annually Americans spend nearly “$50 billion on diet and weight-loss products” and other interventions (“Fact Sheet…”par. 3). Therefore, not only is obesity costly to children’s health but to parents’ wallets as well.

However, the more immediate consequences of childhood obesity are physiological such as low self-esteem and depression. Also, a major problem in schools is bullying of which obese children are primary targets. All of these factors combined lead to poor classroom performance. As Harvard Health Commentaries suggests, “health is academic”, and a link has been discovered “between good health and academic success” (“How safe is your school” 1). Therefore, when children are not performing well in class, their health and diet should be evaluated, which can be easily conducted by a Registered Dietitian on staff.

School’s Current Actions

[pic] National School Lunch Program

Along with the other thousands of public and private schools in Texas,

8

Weimar ISD operates under the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy* by providing meals to its schoolchildren through the National School Lunch Program or NSLP (Rerich). The NSLP was created in 1946 by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a way for schools to provide “balanced, low-cost or free lunches” to children across the nation (“National School Lunch Program” 1). As of 2007, more than 30.5 million children a day were given lunches through the NSLP (“National School Lunch Program” 1). Although the lunches served through this program must meet USDA nutrition regulations, the food service coordinator decides what specific foods are served and how they are prepared. Often times, as the case at WISD, the food service coordinator is unqualified in the realm of nutrition and simply holds the job because of interest. This is revealed in the following table.

School Districts’ Qualifications for Food Service Coordinators

|Requirements for Food Service |Percentage of School Districts |

|Coordinators |  |

|No minimum level of education |24.4% |

|High School Diploma or GED |56.6% |

|Associates Degree in Nutrition |5% |

|Undergraduate Degree in Nutrition |10.6% |

|Graduate Degree in Nutrition |3.5% |

|Certified or Licensed by the State |15.8% |

|Registered Dietitian |4.2% |

|Registered Dietitian Technician |0.8% |

Figure 4. Source of Data: O’Toole, Terrence P., et al

9

Thus, without a degree or certification in nutrition, how can the coordinator successfully create meals that are appealing, provide adequate calories, and meet nutritional standards all while staying within budgetary constraints? Also, as author Susan Levine points out, the program “is a juggling act between modern beliefs about food, nutrition science, and public welfare” and its menus depend on “agricultural surplus commodities more than on children’s nutritional needs” (1-2). Even more, the surplus commodities “hardly make for health-food menus” (Levine 1). Therefore, although it is not required by the state, employing a Registered Dietitian on campus, who is qualified with the proper nutrition knowledge, allows for these demands to be met more successfully and establish better nutritional relations with the students to meet their specific needs.

Nutrition Outside the Cafeteria

Although the National School Lunch Program is effective in providing cheap, balanced meals, it lacks guidelines for those foods sold outside the cafeteria in snack bars or vending machines (Cullen, et al 111). Some schools restrict access to snack bars and vending machines throughout the day, such as at lunch time. However, that is not the case at WISD. Although Weimar ISD no longer provides a snack bar or snacks in vending machines, it does have several drink vending machines on each of its three campuses. These machines are full of sugary sodas, sports drinks, and flavored waters, and some even lack regular water.

10

However, the main downfall at WISD is its privilege of off-campus lunch. Once a student enters high school, eating in the cafeteria is no longer mandatory. Although several students use the off-campus lunch to eat at home, approximately 75-80 percent dine at local fast food restaurants. Therefore, if WISD took action by providing a Registered Dietitian on campus to educate the students on proper diet and nutrition, students will then at least have the knowledge and capability of making healthier decisions when exercising their off-campus privilege.

A Registered Dietitian on Campus

[pic]

Role on Campus

A Registered Dietitian (RD) is qualified and licensed by the American Dietetics Association to provide nutrition counseling and plan food and nutrition programs to reach the client’s, or in this case the student’s, dietary goals (“Dietitians & Nutritionists” 1). At Weimar ISD, a dietitian would be responsible for menu planning; supervise and oversee meal preparation and the serving of meals by cafeteria staff; “budget for and purchase food, equipment, and supplies; enforce sanitary and safety regulations; and prepare records and reports” (“Dietitians & Nutritionists” 1). Along the same lines, a RD can offer private

11

consulting with children and their parents, other faculty members, and the school administration, to address special dietary needs or to prevent or treat illnesses. This includes creating specific meal plans for those with certain food allergies, diabetes, eating disorders, or any other condition requiring food limitations. Lastly, a dietitian would administer health curriculum and food and nutrition curriculum. Although WISD currently has health and food and nutrition courses, those that teach the classes are not qualified in the areas (i.e. the Biology instructor teaches health and the Ag instructor teaches food and nutrition).

Benefits

A key benefit of employing a Registered Dietitian is the knowledge and expertise he or she would provide to guide students, parents, faculty, administrators, and the community to living healthier lives. Several schools across the nation have conducted studies to examine the results of nutrition interventions such as hiring a RD to implement nutrition education through nutrition curriculum. In Michigan, middle school students were given a specific “Nutrition Curriculum” for a total of 10 hours and the results showed that “the students in the intervention group increased their reported consumption of fruits and vegetables while decreasing their consumption of junk food” and felt they

12

were “more confident that they could eat healthy (Fahlman, Mariane M. et al

220). The study concluded that through trained professionals, such as a dietitian, “significant positive changes in both nutrition knowledge and behaviors in middle school children” are possible (Fahlman, Mariane M. et al 221).

Furthermore, a Registered Dietitian can greatly benefit the athletic department. Athletes and coaches are constantly searching for methods to provide optimum performance. A dietitian can supply athletes with quality meal plans and snack options specific to their desired performance. Also, with the recent uproar of steroid use by athletes, a RD can discourage and hopefully prevent steroid use by providing the proper information on the health risks involved. This proved helpful in Evansville, Indiana where a local hospital supplied a dietitian to surrounding public schools. There, “school staff used the dietitian’s expertise to do fitness challenges as well as worked with school [sport] teams to improve their weight status” (AHA News par. 4).

Lastly, another primary benefit of a Registered Dietitian on staff is his or her ability to conduct health programs for both school members and the community. One program in particular is the Comprehensive School Health Program (CSHP). The program includes several components such as health education, nutrition services, counseling services, community and family involvement, and health promotion for faculty (James 1). Through this program, the RD would offer instruction in community health, consumer health, family

13

life, mental and emotional health, injury prevention and safety, control of disease, and substance use and abuse (James 1). Thus, with easy access to health programs, both the school and community can get on the fast trek to leading healthier lifestyles and combating the current obesity epidemic.

Cost of Employment

The estimated costs of employing a Registered Dietitian are displayed in Figure 4. The costs include annual salary*, books and supplies for nutrition curriculum and programs, and other trivial costs such as office supplies. Take a note that the numbers are merely estimates. Also, the annual salary is based on the median wage of Dietitians in May 2008 from the United States Department of Labor statistics, while the other information was obtained from Weimar’s current school Business Manager, Mary Beth Johnson.

Total Cost of Employment

|Expenditures |Costs |

|Annual Salary |$48,560 |

|Text Books for Nutrition Curriculum 1 |$15,000 |

|Annual Program Materials |$2,000 |

| - pamphlets |  |

| - props |  |

|Office Supplies |$2,500 |

| - computer |  |

| - nutrition software/programs1 |  |

| Total |$68,060 |

| | |

Figure 5. 1 Need to be updated every 5 years

14

Conclusion

[pic]

Childhood Obesity is on the rise and will continue to be if proper actions are not taken by parents, schools, and the community to stop this trend. My proposal for employing a Registered Dietitian at Weimar Independent School District has numerous potential benefits. With a dietitian on staff, parents, children, the administration, and staff will have continuing easy access to helpful information and guidance to living a healthier lifestyle. Also, those with food limitations or eating disorders will receive the proper care they need. Lastly, more nutritious lunch menus and nutrition counseling will ensure optimum performance both in and out of the classroom. Take a step in the right direction to overcoming this epidemic; employ a Registered Dietitian.

15

Bibliography

[pic]

Bailey-Hutchison, Kay. "Support healthy lifestyles for Texas' youth." Burnet Bulletin (Texas) 136.0 (09 July 2008): 6A. Texas Reference Center. EBSCO. Blinn Col. Lib. 15 July 2009 .

“Calories”. MedicineNet. Web. 19 July 2009 .

“Child Nutrition Programs: National School Lunch Program.” USDA Economic Research Service. (2007). Web. 10 July 2009 .

Cullen, et al. "Improvements in Middle School Student Dietary Intake After Implementation of the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy." American Journal of Public Health 98.1 (Jan. 2008): 111-117. Consumer Health Complete. EBSCO. Blinn Col. Lib. 8 July 2009 .

“Dietitians and Nutritionists.” O*Net Online.(2008): 1-3. Web. 10 July 2009 .

“Fact Sheet: A Snapshot of the obesity crisis.” Texas Children’s Hospital. Web. 10 July 2009 .

Fahlman, Mariane M., et al. "A Pilot Study to Examine the Effects of a Nutrition Intervention on Nutrition Knowledge, Behaviors, and Efficacy Expectations in Middle School Children." Journal of School Health 78.4 (Apr. 2008): 216-222. Consumer Health Complete. EBSCO. Blinn Col. Lib, 8 July 2009 .

“Fighting Childhood Obesity.” Harvard Health Commentaries. (Jan. 2007). Health and Wellness Resource Center. Gale. Blinn Col. Lib. 8 July 2009 .

“How Safe is Your School.” Harvard Health Commentaires. (Aug. 2006). Health and Wellness Resource Center. Gale. Blinn Col. Lib. 10 July 2009 .

“In Evansville, IN, local schools thank St. Mary’s Hospital for its outreach”. AHA News. 18 Aug 2008. Web. 2 July 2009

16

James, C.S. Delores. “Comprehensive School Health Program.” Nutrition and Well-being A-Z. New York: Mac Millan Reference USA, 2004. Health and Wellness Resource Center. Gale. Blinn Col. Lib. 10 July 2009 .

Johnson, Mary Beth. WISD Business Manager. Email. 16 July 2009.

Koplan, et al. Preventing Childhood Obesity : Health in the Balance. Washington D.C.: National Academies Press, 2005. eBook. NetLibrary-Online Reader. .

Levine, Susan. School Lunch Politics: The Surprising History of America's Favorite Welfare Program (Politics and Society in Twentieth Century America). New York: Princeton UP, 2008.

“National School Lunch Program.” USDA Food and Nutrition Service. (July 2008) Web. 7 July 2009 .

“Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2008: Dietitians and Nutritionists.” Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition. United States Department of Labor – Bureau Labor Statistics. (2008) Web. 15 July 2009 .

O’Toole, Terrence P., et al. "Nutrition Services and Foods and Beverage Available at School: Results From the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006." Journal of School Health 77.8 (Oct. 2007): 500-521. Consumer Health Complete. EBSCO. Blinn Col. Lib. 8 July 2009 .

“Registered Dietitian Information Sheet.” American Dietetic Association. Web. 15 July 2009 .

Rerich, Theresa. WISD Food Service Coordinator. Email. 16 July 2009.

Schmitt, B.D. “Overweight: a weight reduction program.” Clinical Reference Systems. (Nov 2008). Health and Wellness Resource Center. Gale. Blinn Col. Lib. 10 July 2009 .

“Sleep Apnea.” National Heart Lung & Blood Institute. Web. 18 July 2009 .

17

Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health. “Texas Awarded $2 Million Childhood Obesity Grant.” Gray Television Group, Inc. (8 Sep 2008). Web. 6 July 2009 .

"Texas Department of Agriculture: Square Meals." Web. 27 June 2009. .

“Texas Overweight and Obesity Statistics.” Texas Department of State Health Services. (Nov. 2008). Web. 8 July 2009 .

“Texas Public School Nutrition Policy.” Texas Classroom Teachers Association. Web. 19 July 2009 .

“Type 2 Diabetes.” Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia. Web. 18 July 2009 .

18

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download