For adults who grew up with school lunch menus full of Tater tots, pizza, and macaroni and cheese, it seems foreign to see salad and kiwi slices in the school lunch line. But those unhealthy, comfort-food lunches to which many of us became accustomed as children played a part in what has become a national obesity problem ”“ and now schools are seeking a better way.

Regional School Unit 21 recently received a bronze award in the HealthierUS School Challenge for the efforts in its elementary schools, where fruits and vegetables are promoted and included as much as possible. The challenge program began in 2004 for all schools that take part in the National School Lunch Program, and it’s become a part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Initiative that began in 2010 to promote physical activity for youth.

Nutrition staff at RSU 21 and countywide are working to promote healthier eating and several of our local schools have instituted the 5-2-1-0 program that advises five fruits and vegetables, two hours or less of recreational screen time, one hour or more of exercise and zero sugary drinks each day. Exercise is a key component of staying healthy, and RSU 21 is making a great effort at this, implementing exercise programs such as “story walks” for youth who aren’t interested in conventional sports. Making exercise fun is important for all of us, since no one will be motivated to take part in an activity they dread and it simply won’t get done.

We’re glad to see this renewed focus on healthy living and see RSU 21 recognized for its efforts. School lunch is an important part of every weekday for many students, particularly those who come from low-income families that are statistically at higher risk for obesity. Many habits are learned when we are young and having healthy food choices at school lends them a sort of normalcy that gets ingrained in us. Much as the children brought home the recycling movement that began to be pushed in schools in the 1990s, so will they help spread the word about good eating habits and exercise.

As of a 2004 report for Maine Healthy Partnerships, only about 37 percent of York County residents were within a healthy body weight, meaning the majority of us were either overweight or obese. Those numbers, which follow the national trends, are alarming, as obesity has many negative impacts on our personal health and on the economy. As more and more of our work and play moves to sedentary computer-based interfacing, it has to become a conscious goal for everyone to consume fewer calories and set aside time to burn off those that we do take in.

Congratulations to RSU 21 and kudos to all the other schools and organizations that are helping people learn to live healthier lives.

Ӣ Ӣ Ӣ

Today’s editorial was written by Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.