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.

White House Task Force gives report to the President

On May 12, the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity issued a report to the President with recommendations on how to solve the problem of childhood obesity within a generation. The report includes action plans and measurable milestones. It includes an outline of the problem and addresses various disparities, environmental factors, and other components that exacerbate the issue as well as how to address them with specific benchmarks. Please see link below to access the report directly.


http://letsmove.gov/taskforce_childhoodobesityrpt.html

Legislation Passes Ban on Junk Food in MA Schools

Legislation passes ban on junk food in schools! See below for details from wbur!

The momentum around the issue of pediatric obesity continues to grow. We look forward to seeing the direct impact such a ban will have on HWC patients as parents and kids get some much needed support to help make healthy choices outside the home.

http://www.wbur.org/2010/03/11/senate-nutrition

First Lady Announces Let's Move Initiative

Today Mrs. Obama announced her plan to combat pediatric obesity. The President mentioned the First Lady would be focusing on this issue during the State of the Union Address January 27. The Initiative is Let's Move (http://www.letsmove.gov/) The website contains resources on everything from helping folks access healthy foods in their own communities, tips for helping schools get healthy, and ways parents can help families get more active. Parents and/or clinic staff can sign up for email alerts via the Let's Move website to stay up to date on resources and activities related to the Initiative.

See Mrs. Obama as she discussed the Initiative on Good Morning America this morning. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Health/michelle-obama-childhood-obesity-initiative/story?id=9781473

Additionally, the Surgeon General released a report on January 28, 2010 (see below link) entitled The Surgeon General's Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation. Included is a section on page 10 on Mobilizing the Medical Community outlining ways in which clinicians can support patients as they make strides in getting healthy.

The Surgeon General's Vision for a Fit and Healthy Nation http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/obesityvision/index.html

USA Today article on the First Lady's commitment to Pediatric Obesityhttp://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-02-09-1Afirstlady09_CV_N.htm?csp=34&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+UsatodaycomHealth-TopStories+(News+-+Health+-+Top+Stories)