The administration’s emphasis on nutrition continued to capture headlines this
week, starting with high-profile speaking platforms for First Lady Michelle
Obama and a call for comments from the federal task force on childhood obesity.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) ended the week by
announcing awards of more than $372 million for prevention and wellness
activities in 44 communities throughout the country.
Interagency Task Force to Create National Plan
Members of the Task Force on Childhood Obesity include senior officials from the
White House, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Departments of
Agriculture, Education, HHS and the Interior. They have developed a list of 16
questions, published in the Federal Register, to solicit recommendations that
will help them to develop a national plan to end childhood obesity within a
generation.
One question, for example, asks what actions could ensure that children are
eating healthy foods in schools and childcare settings. Another probes whether
more resources allocated for research could provide new insight and additional
answers.
IDFA will take advantage of the opportunity to guide and inform the task force
by submitting comments before the March 26 deadline. The comments will reinforce
the nutritional benefits of milk and dairy in children’s diets and highlight the
steps that processors are taking, such as reformulating products with less
sugar, lower calories and reduced fat, to provide a variety of product options.
Members wishing to participate are encouraged to contact Michelle Matto, IDFA
assistant director of nutrition and labeling, at mmatto@idfa.org by Monday,
March 22.
HHS Awards $372 Million in Grants
These awards are part of the HHS “Communities Putting Prevention to Work”
initiative, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and
will support public health efforts to reduce obesity and smoking, increase
physical activity and improve nutrition. The grants will give 44 cities, towns
and tribes the resources they need to create healthy choices for residents, such
as increasing availability of healthy foods and beverages.
To view a complete listing of communities receiving grants, visit the HHS Web
site.
Michelle Obama Blazes a Trail
The cover story of the latest edition of Newsweek features Michelle Obama and
the fight against childhood obesity. To delve deeper into the topic, the
magazine’s editor interviewed the First Lady on Wednesday at the Newseum in
Washington, D.C.
Mrs. Obama said it’s important for food manufacturing companies to provide
labels that will help people determine which foods are healthy. She also
mentioned the need for passing legislation to establish nutritional guidelines
for school lunch programs and vending machines.
On Tuesday, the First Lady delivered a keynote address at the GMA 2010 Science
Forum in Washington, D.C., to highlight her “Let’s Move” campaign. She urged the
food industry to work faster and go further to make and market healthier foods.
“The solution is not for the federal government to tell us what to do, but
rather what can we do collectively to help make childhood obesity a public
health priority,” Mrs. Obama said.
IDFA Vice President Cary Frye and Assistant Director Michelle Mattto attended
the address, along with representatives from several IDFA companies, and they
spoke briefly with Mrs. Obama at the session’s end.
For more information on IDFA’s efforts on childhood nutrition, contact at cfrye@idfa.org
or Ruth Saunders, IDFA vice president of policy affairs, at
rsaunders@idfa.org.