First Lady Urges Passage of Child Nutrition Bill

First Lady Michelle Obama wrote an op-ed piece in the Washington Post earlier this week, bringing to light the need to pass the Child Nutrition Bill currently stuck in Congressional limbo. The bill has cleared committees in both chambers of Congress but has yet to be passed by the full body. The First Lady states how vital the passage of the bill is as it will provide for healthier meal standards, reward schools that meet those standards and help remove junk food from vending machines, all important steps in the fight against childhood obesity. She writes:

We owe it to the children who aren’t reaching their potential because they’re not getting the nutrition they need during the day. We owe it to the parents who are working to keep their families healthy and looking for a little support along the way. We owe it to the schools that are trying to make progress but don’t have the resources they need. And we owe it to our country — because our prosperity depends on the health and vitality of the next generation.

For the full piece, click here.

White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity Strives to End Childhood Obesity within a Generation

The White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity just released their report to the President which details the alarming trend of obesity currently in children and action steps that can be taken to end childhood obesity within a generation, that is to return the obesity rate to 1970s levels before it began to rise. Some of the steps involve initiatives that READS is currently pursuing, such as providing healthy foods in schools. Other steps are to improve nutritional education, lowering the prices of healthy foods, getting children more active through recess and bettering access to safe and secure playgrounds. You can read the full report by clicking here.