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SPECIAL PROJECT

 Focus on Fiber 

Balanced's Focus on Fiber Campaign seeks to spread awareness and inspire action to elevate fiber to the forefront of nutrition conversations! Our campaign is divided into two main components:

Public Awareness

Changing fiber’s perception - amplifying its benefits and encouraging its consumption.

increased support

Advocacy

Calling on USDA to add fiber to school meal guidelines so children have access to healthier school meals

improved access

 Watch here to learn more about fiber! 

Our series of educational videos covers everything you need to know about fiber, from its health benefits to practical tips on increasing your fiber intake. Watch here and check out our Instagram @thebalancedorg for additional fiber content!

🔍 Mythbusting Time: The Fiber Edition! 🔍
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🔍 Mythbusting Time: The Fiber Edition! 🔍

In our latest Focus on Fiber Campaign video, we're diving into the world of myths and truths with 'Fiber MythBusters'! 🕵️‍♂️🥦 Are you under the impression that fiber isn’t all that important? Or perhaps you think it’s only good for your gut? Maybe you believe the standard American diet provides all the fiber you need? 🤔 We’re here to debunk these myths and uncover the pivotal role of fiber in our overall health. Join us as we expose the facts, smash the misconceptions, and reveal why fiber deserves a prime spot on your plate. Let's redefine what we know about fiber together! Many thanks to @JohnsHopkinsSPH and @bloombergamericanhealthini6908 for supporting this campaign! ______ 🎥 CREDITS 🎥 Videographer/Cinematographer - @taylorosullivanfilm Editor - @jennythach Gaffer - @RyanBCreative ______ 🤝 GET INVOLVED 🤝 → Donate to support our critical work at balanced.org/donate → Want to lead a healthy menu campaign in your local school, hospital, or workplace? Visit balanced.org/lead to get started! ______ 🍏 LEARN MORE 🍏 → Newsletter: balanced.org/newsletter → Blog: balanced.org/blog. → Youtube: youtube.com/@thebalancedorg → Instagram: instagram.com/thebalancedorg → Facebook: facebook.com/@thebalancedorg → Twitter: twitter.com/@thebalancedorg → Tiktok: tiktok.com/@thebalancedorg ______ 🥬 ABOUT US 🥬 Balanced is a nutrition security and public health advocacy organization. We're committed to improving menus in schools, hospitals, offices, universities, and other critical community institutions in order to combat diet-related diseases. Learn more about us at balanced.org.

Endorse the Campaign!

Show your support for healthier, fiber-rich school meal standards by endorsing the campaign. Add your voice to the movement to address this critical nutritional deficiency in our nation's children.

Endorse the Campaign!

Show your support for healthier, fiber-rich school meal standards by endorsing the campaign. Add your voice to the movement to address this critical nutritional deficiency in our nation's children.

Chopping Vegetables

WHY FIBER?

Gut Health

The impact of fiber on gut microbiota composition, as well as the fermentation byproducts, are thought to play a key role in dietary fiber’s numerous health benefits and protections against disease.

Disease Prevention

Fiber inadequacy may be linked with allergic and autoimmune disorders,  constipation  and bowel diseases, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even certain cancers.

Health Benefits

Positive health outcomes associated with dietary fiber include favorable cardiometabolic effects and higher micronutrient intakes. 

FOCUS ON FIBER GOALS

  • Highlight the evidence indicating a fiber deficit in school meals

  • Shed light on current policies and practices that hinder fiber consumption in schools

  • Provide evidence-based recommendations to improve the fiber content and overall healthfulness of school meals

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Grains are the number one source of dietary fiber in school meals and account for over half of all fiber on the lunch tray. 

  • Grains in school meals are often ultra-processed and contain more added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. Pastries alone accounted for 17% of total fiber, or roughly one-third of the fiber attributed to grains!

  • Making space for fiber-dense foods requires, to some degree, a reduction in the reliance on foods and beverages containing little to no fiber.

  • Highest impact interventions should be focused on diversifying proteins and increasing naturally occurring plant-based fiber.

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

The federal school meals programs have an important role to play in ensuring millions of students have access and opportunity to consume adequate dietary fiber. Nearly all school-aged children are not meeting dietary fiber recommendations. Many children are eating two out of three meals at school each day, with an average of 22.6 million children eating school lunch  and 12.4 million children consuming breakfast  daily in Fiscal Year 2020. Thus, potential policy interventions could significantly impact the health of children across the U.S.

Two main policy approaches within the context of the USDA School Nutrition Programs stand out to address the apparent gap between recommended and actual fiber intakes. Policy Alternative 1 would impose a minimum daily and weekly dietary fiber requirement, while Policy Alternative 2 would strengthen existing meal pattern requirements for whole grains, fruits, legumes, and vegetables to improve dietary fiber offerings in school meals.

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