According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one fifth of all children in the United States are overweight or obese. Representative George Mitchell has identified what may be part of the problem causing childhood obesity—school nutrition programs.Rep. Mitchell is quoted in Mary MacVean’s article for the Los Angeles Times as stating, ‘"For more and more students in this economy, the meals they receive at school are their nutritional safety net[.]"’ Rep. Mitchell is the Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, which will have jurisdiction over legislation reauthorizing the Child Nutrition Act.
If the bill is renewed in the fall as expected (the Obama administration has already proposed a $1 billion increase for the Act) one might expect updates to the language of the bill. According to the LA Times, one part of the bill gives the United States Department of Agriculture authority to update the “decades-old standards for food children buy at school stores and vending machines, as well as foods that are sold in school cafeterias.
Being from California, actions that state has taken in this issue area might have an influence on Rep. Miller. Currently, the Los Angeles Unified School District bans soda and cut most of the sales of junk food in schools. At the same time, California limits fat and sugar content in food sold on school grounds.
The Child Nutrition Act currently costs the federal government $15 billion a year, but President Obama “has proposed a $1-billion annual increase for [the act]." The act reimburses school district for meals; after-school food programs; summer-food programs; and food served at child and adult day-care facilities. The bill also funds the Special Supplemental Nutrient program for Women, Infants, and Children. This program provides food to more than 8 million people in 2007. The school lunch program feeds 30 million children daily. One change that might be made is increasing the number of school breakfasts that are offered.
This bill will certainly gain attention as it moves through the legislative process as concerned stakeholders include school administrators, cafeteria workers, teachers, students, farm groups, and advocates concerned about over-all food safety.
To read the MacVean article for the LA Times click here.
Posted: 08/27/09
