WHEREAS, the health, nutrition, and education of our children is of highest concern to the citizens of Fairfax County; and

WHEREAS, providing more nutritious foods to children has received national attention from First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move Campaign; and

WHEREAS, school food today is made up of highly processed products that are dyed, artificially flavored, preserved, and flavor enhanced, using petroleum based chemicals found in plastics and pesticides; and

WHEREAS, these artificial additives can negatively impact childhood behavior and learning, including the following issues: obesity, diabetes, hyperactivity, developmental delays, ability to focus, asthma, depression, mood/irritability, violent behavior; and

WHEREAS, serving real food can impact our children's success by a) increasing academic performance, b) lowering weight and rates of obesity, c) improving behavior, and d) reducing special education needs/costs; and

WHEREAS, it did not cost Fairfax County any additional funds when it successfully eliminated artificial ingredients and harmful additives from school food in the 1980's; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Fairfax County Council of PTAs (FCCPTA) encourages Fairfax County Public Schools to take a FIRST step of improving the overall health and nutrition of foods served at schools, by implementing the following initial changes;

• Providing more fresh fruits and vegetables (e.g. salad bars)
• Eliminating MSG (neurotoxin that plays a key role in learning and memory, causes nerve cell damage)
• Removing all trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils (cancer, heart disease and diabetes)
• Eliminating artificial additives, dyes, preservatives (BHA, BHT - petroleum based, used as pesticides, carcinogenic)
• Eliminating high fructose corn syrup (Obesity, diabetes)

Disposition: FCCPTA General Membership, Adopted with Amendments, March 29, 2011