November 19, 2014

Dr. Leslie Lytle

Dr. Leslie Lytle

A commentary by Leslie Lytle, PhD, professor and chair of health behavior at The University of North Carolina’s Gillings School of Global Public Health, was published online Nov. 17 in JAMA Pediatrics.

The article, “Considering the Potential Effect of Federal Policy on Childhood Obesity,” was a response to a paper by Yvonne M. Terry-McElrath, et al., published in the same issue of the journal and titled “Potential Impact of National School Nutritional Environment Policies Cross-sectional Associations With US Secondary Student Overweight/Obesity, 2008-2012.” Terry-McElrath’s article examines recent efforts by state and federal programs designated to provide breakfast and lunch to students.

Lytle discussed the buy-in by schools and subsequent effectiveness of these programs to date and made suggestions on how they can be more effective in the fight against childhood obesity.

“School administrators have been slow to adopt the belief and related policies and practices that unhealthy foods that are high in sugar, fat and empty calories do not belong in a school and that providing fruit, vegetables and whole-grain products throughout the school is important.”

Lytle says that even though most schools have adopted the program, the transition still needs encouragement.

“The new federal policy may be a carrot at the end of the stick that drives schools to make these important changes,” she said. “In addition to the stick-and-carrot, substantial tangible help in making the switch and incentives to sweeten the deal from state and federal sources are likely needed.”


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Gillings School of Global Public Health contact: David Pesci, director of communications, (919) 962-2600 or dpesci@unc.edu.

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