There may not be any more of those delicious bite-size pizzas or that indescribable cafeteria lunch meat after President Barack Obama signed the landmark, "Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010," that aims to improve the quality of school breakfasts, lunches, and other foods sold in schools.
The landmark bill piggybacks off First Lady Michelle Obama's goal of eradicating childhood obesity which includes her "Let's Move" initiative. It will also serve to strengthen nutrition programs that serve young children, like the WIC and Child and Adult Care Food Program.
Apparently Republicans care about the kids, this bill passed with bipartisan support. Even Rachael Ray, who doesn't exactly cook the healthiest food (but it is good), was on hand for a telephone press conference offering her support.
"This is the first substantive step I've seen in my lifetime," Ray said about the bill's focus on young people and nutrition. "I watched the First Lady and President sign it this morning and it gave me chills."
Ray, through her youth organization, helps children throughout the boroughs in New York City to plant their own gardens in the public schools. She says, as a result, children know where their food comes from, and take food that they grow directly into the cafeteria to eat. "It's a beautiful thing to watch kids make that connection," she says.
The bill will focus on nutrition and physical activity to address the problem of obesity as well as allow for fitness and activity standards in the schools. Statistics show that over 130 million Americans are obese or overweight and childhood and teenage obesity has increased by four times over the past 40 years. Over 70 percent of overweight adolescents will be overweight or obese as adults.
It's good to see that school systems are taking some responsibility, particularly as many public schools reduce recess time. This bill is a good first step, but much more needs to be done, particularly by parents, to seriously reduce the epidemic of childhood obesity.
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