Curbing Childhood Obesity, One School Meal at a Time
Childhood obesity rates have tripled in the past 30 years and are continuing their upward trend as foods become less healthy, portion sizes increase and healthy foods are harder to find - even in our schools. This Tuesday, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addressed this growing epidemic and outlined his priorities for the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act during a press conference in Washington, D.C. As the core legislative priority for Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign, Sec. Vilsack aims to end childhood hunger by 2015 and curb the rising rates of childhood obesity by improving the nutritional value of the 9 billion meals served by school and summer programs each year.
His priorities for reauthorization include:
- Increasing healthy lifestyle (physical and nutrition) education at schools
- Improving nutrition standards for school meals
- Increasing training for cafeteria food personnel to increase healthy meals offered
- Raising food safety standards
- Strengthening physical activity programs in schools
- Increasing access to school meal programs
- Creating standards for foods sold in schools
By supporting a strong reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act, Sec. Vilsack is putting the health and nutrition of our nation's children on the top of his agenda.
Pouring Salt in our "All Natural" Wounds
The food industry was again targeted for misleading consumers on the Hill this Wednesday. This time, Sen. Barbara Boxer (CA) and Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) took on the issue of food labeling - uncovering the truth behind salt-water injected poultry. Turns out when one buys an average 7 and ½ lbs. chicken in the supermarket, you are actually getting 6 lbs. of chicken and 1 and ½ lbs. of salt water - even when the package boasts claims of "all natural."
Many consumers buy (and pay extra for) foods labeled as "all natural" thinking that these products are, in fact, healthier. It is true that chicken, salt and water are "all natural," but when you combine the three the resulting excess dietary salt, as many argue, is unhealthy. CSPI reiterated that "a diet high in salt (sodium chloride) is a major cause of heart disease and stroke. Despite pleas from government and other health experts over the last quarter-century to reduce salt consumption, Americans are consuming more-not less-salt."
While the USDA has no regulatory control over the use of claims like "all natural," Sen. Boxer believes this practice is both misleading and unethical. She reiterated that "by plumping chicken with salt water, Americans are getting ripped off to the tune of $2 billion in hidden taxes a year," since Americans are getting less for their money.
An issue close to her heart, the California Senator discussed the implications of this practice highlighting that we are:
- Inadvertently upping our sodium intake,
- Getting less for our money, and
- Degrading the term "all natural" and the natural food industry
While salt-water injecting poultry is just a piece of the current food policy "pie," Sen. Boxer's words shed light on the larger issue of the lack of regulatory scrutiny for the claims that appear on our foods. Until Congress tackles this food issue head-on, we, as consumers, have the privilege of "voting" with our wallets - and our forks.
- Megan Richter, Assistant Account Executive & Molly Hippolitus, Digital Associate
Tags: Let's Move, Sec. Vilsack
