Jamie Oliver's Attack on America's School Cafeterias Is Inaccurate

There is no argument that from shows like NBC’s Biggest Loser to segments on Dr. Phil, America is being portrayed as an overweight country on the brink of obesity and heart disease.
As a result, many critics are casting the blame of the obesity epidemic on public and private school systems, claiming that children are not being taught to value the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
British “Naked Chef” Jamie Oliver, who is known for his simple and fresh cooking styles, has attacked American school cafeterias on his show, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, which airs Friday nights on ABC.
Viewers were split about whether their children were actually in danger of not learning proper eating habits or whether Oliver was reporting exaggerated situations to create a dramatic television episode.
Parents will be relieved to know that, the National School Lunch Program has extremely strict standards for reimbursed meals, and obviously, very few schools are willing to serve students meals that they won’t be paid for. The regulations state that meals must contain less than 30 percent of calories from fat and less than 10 percent from saturated fat. The meals also must contain at least 30 percent of a child’s recommended daily intake of Vitamin C, iron, calcium and other vitamins and minerals. Reports also show that student portions are significantly controlled and probably are smaller, healthier and more nutritious compared to the food brought from home, because the cafeteria menus are designed by nutritionists.
Read also:

• Teacher Raises Awareness for School Lunch Program
• Did Jamie Oliver Fail or Did We?