Catholic Schools in the USA Commends the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act
President Barrack Obama found an ally with the Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) after signing the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. Unlike other organization doubtful of the said bill, CCUSA lauded the bill last week because it will improve the quality of meals sold in schools and vending machines will strengthen nutrition programs serving young children across the nation. We have been looking for healthier vending options for some time and now this bill will now push private and religious base schools to keep step with federal guidelines.
New School Programs That Aim To Combat Childhood Obesity
It was on the first quarter of 2010 when First Lady Michelle Obama announces the ambitious national goal of resolving the epidemic of child obesity in America. The campaign is called “Let’s Move” and it aims to provide schools, families and communities simple tools to help kids be more active, eat better, and get healthy. Since then, several other healthy campaigns from various sectors followed across all states. And before the year ended, President Obama enacted into law a new nutrition bill – Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act 2010 – that would help improve the quality of foods served in schools.
Another noteworthy event that happened in line with Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign was the launching of Fresh Healthy Vending a healthy snacks vending franchise offering where most of the healthy vending machines are placed in schools and in locations where children spend time after school like YMCAs.
School Nutrition Programs Welcomes Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act
Local schools have been struggling to improve their feeding program to students for years. With increasing rate in obesity, educational institutions are enjoined to provide healthy meals for students; however, it is a given fact that serving nutritious food in school cafeterias and vending machines entails higher costs. And with the passage of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, school nutrition programs are expected to benefit from it.
The biggest boost in the school’s nutrition programs is the increase in the amount of money to be given to the National School Lunch Program. The districts will get about 6-cents increased per child, a welcome relief from the federal government in 30 years. The Department of Agriculture will oversee the administration of the bill and will be responsible for crafting new school nutrition standards.
Schools Need to Provide Healthy Snacks to Kids
Why are Educators still stuggling with the concept of providing healthy snacks in schools? Although some local schools have taken steps to improve their feeding program to students, some still struggles to serve nutritious food which we all know costs more. And with the passage of the Child Nutrition Bill most parents thought these can be addressed.
The bill is about to increase the amount of money given to the National School Lunch Program. President Barrack Obama asked for more than $10 billion to improve the program over 10 years. If the bill is approved, districts will get about a 6-cent increase per child. However, schools in high expense cities such as San Francisco get $2.74 a meal per child which is still far from the needed $5.00 a child to feed them healthy food.
Healthy Vending Machines Now Becoming a Reality
The drive towards eliminating obesity has been the major issues being addressed by the Obama administration. In fact no less then First Lady Michelle Obama is spearheading Nationwide Campaign to curb out obesity by helping kids to be more active and eat healthy. Because of the rise of the obesity rate, local communities, non profit organizations, states and the nation make numerous legislations to change the eating habits of Americans. We have the “Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act,” which aims to change the usual meals of students to healthy and nutritious foods. We have the posting of nutritional labels on menus, etc. The common on their proposal is vending machines offering nutritious content.
Study shows that obesity rate in the United States at 15.8% at the end of 2006 as compared with 8.3% in 1994 among children ages 8-14. That is why an overhaul in the nutrition system is being practiced. Due to convenience it gives, vending machines seems to be far from being removed that is why vending machine companies are dedicated on making innovations to make their content more nutritious and healthy.
Unhealthy Choices in Vending Machines can lead To Chronic Childhood Obesity
As the US is celebrating the first-ever National Obesity Awareness month this September, more and more research and study are being conducted to pinpoint the real culprit in the increase in childhood obesity rate across the nation causing chronic problems and poor diet. Recently, Early Bird Diabetes of Peninsula Medical School shows that obesity may lead to inactivity but inactivity does not lead to obesity and that decrease physical activity or movement may actually be an indicator of fatness.
National Childhood Obesity Month
September 2010 marks the first ever National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month in the US. It was introduced by Senator Kirsten Gilibrand of New York in February 2010 and passed on March 26, 2010. This initiative was pushed primarily in response to the rapid increase in childhood obesity rate in the country. It was noted that in the past 4 decades, obesity rates soared high among all age groups, and increased more than four-fold among children ages 6-11. This epidemic put America’s children at an early risk for high blood, diabetes, heart disease and other ailments.
In his proclamation, Pres. Barrack Obama said that the nation is faced with obesity epidemic and stressed out the need for all Americans to unite and take action to combat this crisis. He added that there are lots of concrete ways to ensure the children live a full and active lived and urge everyone to take part in solving the problem. Fighting childhood obesity has been one of the major issues being addressed by Obama administration. Even First Lady Michelle Obama spearheaded a nationwide campaign “Let’s Move” by helping kids to be more active and get healthy. Studies show that obesity rate doubled from 1988 to 2006. Children ages 8-14 showed an obesity rate of 15.8% was noted at the end of 2006 as compared to 8.3% in 1994.
American Diabetes Association Cheers for New Healthy Kids Act
The American Diabetes Association is an organization geared towards “preventing and curing diabetes and improving the lives of all people affected by diabetes”. The association expressed their approval for the U.S. Senate’s action on passing the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. Through this act, the House of Representatives can already vote to pave the way for the various federal nutrition programs that will be expiring on September 30, 2010.
Because of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, schools can already provide healthy and nutritious meals to students through the school lunch program Furthermore, schools will also get rid of the junk foods and high cholesterol beverages from the vending machines and a la carte lines. Aside from schools, low-income women, infants and children are also encompassed in this bill.
Nutrition Improving in School Vending Machines
Good news to every parent and students alike. The Senate passed the “Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act,” a revamp of the 1966 Child Nutrition Act. If approved, federal child nutrition programs will be given an increase of $4.5 billion funding over 10 years. However, Slow Food USA, a movement linking its members the pleasure of food with a pledge to the community and the environment, passed an urgent warning about the said nutrition act. The new bill revision states that the budget for food stamp will be cut to be able to fund programs for healthier meals, regulation on school vending machines and for Farm to School projects, a clear case of paradox.
Nevertheless, if not for the food stamp budget decrease, “Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act,” is a laudable bill as it will allot resources to raise the nutrition standards in school lunch rooms and vending machines by changing the usual meals to “healthy and nutritious food.” It will also provide programs that will encourage students to let go of the high-sugar and salty junk foods being offered by vending machines.