News from CDC yesterday shows:More than two-thirds of schools in 2014 brought sodium down to more reasonable levels in recipes, up from a third of schools in 2000. More than half of schools that prepared meals on-site used fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned, and used lower-sodium canned vegetables instead of regular canned vegetables.

Quote available from American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown:“We hope Congress pays close attention to these findings, because it’s clear from this new CDC study that the dedicated food service professionals in our nation’s schools are working hard every day to keep our kids healthy. If we continue to teach our kids to eat nutritious foods early on, we can protect them from a lifelong struggle with cardiovascular disease or even an early death. On this point, there is no flexibility.”

Expert available:Voices for Healthy Kids volunteer and Professor of Nutrition at the University of Vermont, Dr. Rachel Johnson

Rachel K. Johnson, PhD, MPH, RD is the Bickford Professor of Nutrition and Professor of Medicine at the University of Vermont. Dr. Johnson served as Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences from 2001-2008 and as Associate Provost from 2009-2011.

Dr. Johnson's research expertise covers pediatric nutrition and obesity, national nutrition policy, dietary intake methodology and nutrition and cardiovascular disease . She has published numerous scholarly papers and book chapters on those and other topics.

Dr. Johnson was appointed by the U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Surgeon General to the Year 2000 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. She served on the Panel on Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) for the macronutrients for the National Academy of Sciences / Institute of Medicine.