CONCLUSIONS
Most schools reported meeting the new federal requirement
to provide access to free drinking water for students during
school lunches through drinking fountains in the cafeteria.
Although drinking fountains are a sustainable and costeffective
strategy, some concerns about cleanliness and
water quality were reported by survey respondents. Because
the federal drinking water requirement is unfunded, schools
might need additional resources to address these barriers to
providing water at lunch. In this regard, there appear to be
several opportunities for dietetics practitioners to improve
practices in schools. First, at a district level, registered dietitian
nutritionists can collaborate with school-level staff on
individually appropriate strategies for each school to implement
this requirement. In addition, although not all schools
have a registered dietitian nutritionist onsite, school foodservice
staff can play a role in promoting water consumption
in the cafeteria. In many schools and school districts, dietetics
practitioners are members of a health or wellness council
and, in such a role, it is possible to advocate for feasible and
sustainable strategies to provide drinking water. Finally,
with regard to changing student behaviors, dietetics practitioners
are credible messengers and are likely to be well
positioned to promote water consumption through educational
activities or other behavior-change strategies. Working
in collaboration with school staff, such as administrators,
nurses, and teachers, can be a particularly effective strategy
to promote water consumption as part of creating a healthful
school environment.
CONCLUSIONS
Most schools reported meeting the new federal requirement
to provide access to free drinking water for students during
school lunches through drinking fountains in the cafeteria.
Although drinking fountains are a sustainable and costeffective
strategy, some concerns about cleanliness and
water quality were reported by survey respondents. Because
the federal drinking water requirement is unfunded, schools
might need additional resources to address these barriers to
providing water at lunch. In this regard, there appear to be
several opportunities for dietetics practitioners to improve
practices in schools. First, at a district level, registered dietitian
nutritionists can collaborate with school-level staff on
individually appropriate strategies for each school to implement
this requirement. In addition, although not all schools
have a registered dietitian nutritionist onsite, school foodservice
staff can play a role in promoting water consumption
in the cafeteria. In many schools and school districts, dietetics
practitioners are members of a health or wellness council
and, in such a role, it is possible to advocate for feasible and
sustainable strategies to provide drinking water. Finally,
with regard to changing student behaviors, dietetics practitioners
are credible messengers and are likely to be well
positioned to promote water consumption through educational
activities or other behavior-change strategies. Working
in collaboration with school staff, such as administrators,
nurses, and teachers, can be a particularly effective strategy
to promote water consumption as part of creating a healthful
school environment.
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