Reports and Info Summer 2011

New Obesity Prevention Policies for Young Children

This June the Institute of Medicine (IOM) just released new policies for preventing obesity in young children 0-5 years. The report reviewed multiple factors and has recommended actions for caregivers, health care providers, and policy makers. See the below link for more details and access to the report.

http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2011/Early-Childhood-Obesity-Prevention-Policies.aspx

F as in Fat 2011

Trust for America's Health released their yearly report in July 2011 "F as in Fat" which is a detailed report that ranks obesity rates by state as well as compares obesity rates over time. Included on this site is a state by state map. There is also a map that includes childhood obesity rates by state as well. Please see the below link to the full report.

http://www.healthyamericans.org/report/88/

Truck Farm Comes to Boston

For folks in the Boston area, please see the below article about the Boston Truck Farm, a traveling farm (literally in the back of a truck!) that showcases agriculture in urban settings and is looking for interested organizations who might be interested in having the Truck Farm stop by!

http://www.examiner.com/sustainable-agriculture-in-boston/truck-farm-moves-to-boston

Boston's Ban on Sweetened Beverages in Schools is Working!

In today's Boston Globe, the findings of a RWJF study are that the 7 year old ban has had a positive impact on the consumption of sweetened beverages by Boston high school students.

http://www.boston.com/Boston/dailydose/2011/08/boston-high-school-students-drinking-fewer-sugary-drinks/z6LV7repTt76hef1QOmI2I/index.html?comments=all

Anti-Obesity Ads plus Food Advertising to Kids

The state of Georgia has released new ads to bring attention to the issue of childhood obesity in that state. The ads have some worried about increased stigma to overweight or obese kids. The below article came out yesterday and discusses the balance between wanting to address childhood obesity while working to help kids maintain and create healthy self esteem.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/02/georgia-child-obesity-ads_n_856255.html

The federal government issued new voluntary guidelines to food companies last week to limit their advertising to children if they contain certain amounts of unhealthy ingredients. To date any advertising guidelines have been self regulated by the food industry and although food companies have reduced TV advertising to kids in the face of public pressure, they have moved much of that advertising to other forms of media like the Internet and social media. The below article details the guidelines as well as when they hope to be in effect.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/28/marketing-junk-food-kids_n_854949.html

I have also included a blog that came out last week discussing how food advertising is moving beyond TV and what level of responsibility the food industry has and how best to move those companies in a direction that helps parents support their kids' healthy eating.

http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/04/the-era-of-ads-food-marketing-to-kids-goes-viral/237727/

Studies on Supermarkets in MA and Physical Activity

The public health advocacy group the Food Trust has conducted a study on supermarkets and has found that MA has a shortage of grocery stores and in fact ranks third from the bottom nationally. The study outlines the communities hardest hit. Please see the below link to the report and a CBS report and Boston Globe piece on the study. I have also included a link to the Food Trust in case you would like more information on that organization.

http://www.mphaweb.org/documents/FoodforEveryChild_Massachusetts.pdf

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/03/07/study-theres-a-supermarket-shortage-in-mass/

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/03/07/shortage_of_grocers_plagues_mass_cities/?p1=News_links

http://www.thefoodtrust.org/

In addition, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention just released a nationwide study on physical activity. The study covers children and adults and includes data on physical activity levels, children's access to play space as well as a host of other indicators that pertain to physical activity. I have included a link to the actual report as well as a link to the CDC that has more information. State by state results and national averages are found on pages 14-15 in the report.
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/downloads/PA_State_Indicator_Report_2010.pdf

http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/

Obesity Update: the latest

Michelle Obama is working to get 6000 salad bars in schools across the country within 3 years. Currently only about 15% of schools have salad bars and obtaining the necessary equipment to have a salad bar is an investment of about $2500, and that is before buying the produce to stock it. The United Fresh Produce Association will be donating salad bars across the country as part of the First Lady's Let's Move Salad Bars to Schools Initiative. Please see the below article for additional details.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/22/michelle-obama-6000-salad-bars-for-schools_n_787009.html


Please see the below article featuring an interview with the author of the book Bring Back the Family Dinner, by Laurie David. We know how important it is from a health perspective for families to eat together and this book includes tips and ideas about getting the most out of the family meal, further supporting that how we eat is as important as what we eat.

http://www.grist.org/article/2010-11-15-bring-back-the-family-dinner-says-laurie-david


On December 2 Congress passed the Child Nutrition Bill, which works to address both hunger and childhood obesity. The bill would make it possible for more children to eat breakfast and dinner at school. In addition, it will be cutting greasy food in lunch lines and junk food in vending machines. See the below article for details on the nutrition guidelines and additional information on the bill.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/02/child-nutrition-congress-_n_791275.html

Chocolate Milk in Schools

The National Dairy Council begins a formal campaign to keep chocolate milk in schools around the country entitled Raise your Hand for Chocolate Milk. This is in response as many schools consider or enact a ban on chocolate milk and other flavored milks claiming it is adding to the obesity epidemic, as it contains more calories and sugar than non-flavored milk. The Dairy Council's campaign makes the case for the nutritional value of milk and the concern that kids who don't like non-flavored milk won't drink white milk and thus miss out on valuable nutrients. Please see the links below to articles discussing this issue from the Huffington Post, New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, and the National Dairy Council"s Raise your Hand for Chocolate Milk campaign's website.

The Great Chocolate Milk Debate
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeanne-ponessa-fratello/the-great-chocolate-milk-_b_698950.html

A School Fight Over Chocolate Milk
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/dining/25Milk.html?scp=1&sq=chocolate milk&st=cse

Raise Your Hand for Milk
http://www.raiseyourhand4milk.com/

Crying Over Spilt Chocolate Milk
http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/sns-health-chocolate-milk-debate,0,733950.story

Governor Patrick signs bill to improve school lunches

Please see the below link to the Boston Globe article that outlines the bill the Governor signed 7/31/2010. It bans fryolaters in schools as well as calls for fresh fruits and non-fried vegetables to be sold. This bill was first filed in 1999.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/07/31/governor_signs_bill_to_improve_nutrition_for_schoolchildren/

Proposed Federal Guidelines on Junk Food Marketing to Kids

Proposed federal guidelines came out that would be the strictest ever proposed to regulate the marketing of junk foods to kids. Included in the proposed guidelines are not only limitations on what can't be in food that's marketed to kids, but also what ingredients need to be in marketed food; percentage of whole grains, certain amounts of fruit and vegetables, etc. click here for the article

On another note, I wanted to share some news Healthworks gym has received. Codman Square Health Center refers many Healthy Weight Clinic patients and their moms to the Healthworks Gym, a non-profit exercise facility down the street from the Health Center. The Healthworks Gym was featured on NPR and in an article June 17, 2010. Please take a minute to find out about this valuable community resource.