Senator Olsen Receives Award For Work On Nutrition Education Act
31 July 2018 News
State Senator Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) recently received the 2018 Legislator of the Year Award from the School Nutrition Association of Wisconsin. “School nutrition professionals are a vital component of our education system. They teach children about healthy food by providing healthy breakfast and lunch options while advocating for integrating nutrition education into the classroom. I’m honored to have been chosen as their Legislator of the Year,” said Senator Olsen.
The award was presented to Senator Olsen by Diane Agrell, President of the School Nutrition Association-WI and Winneconne Community School District Food Service Director for his work on the “Nutrition Education Act.” This new law updates state education standards to include instruction on the nutritive value of foods as outlined by the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans. “Studies show that nutrition and healthy eating habits that are established early in life tend to carry on throughout our lives. Making sure that students learn this information early on is critically important,” Olsen explained.
This update will require that schools teach students the importance of a nutritious diet to promote health, avoid chronic diseases and maintain a healthy weight. Prior law required schools to teach about the vitamin content in foods and the health values of dairy products. “By aligning our state statutes with the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans and teaching about the importance of a nutritious diet, students will receive a more complete education regarding healthy eating habits,” said Olsen.
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