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Childhood Obesity Weekly Policy Update

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Federal


	Introduction of Child Nutrition Reauthorization ‘Nearing Finish Line’



	The Senate Agriculture Committee is ‘nearly at the finish line’ for the introduction of a bill to reauthorize the Child Nutrition Act, according to committee chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan. Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said she is “optimistic” and that committee leaders have ‘a general sense of agreement of the direction we’re moving in.’


	USDA: Community Eligibility Participation Up 20 Percent



	The number of schools in high-poverty areas participating in the Community Eligibility Provision—under which eligible schools may offer meals free of charge to all students, regardless of family income—has increased by 20 percent since last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. More than 17,000 schools now participate, covering approximately eight million students.

State and Local


	Colorado Provides $2.5 Million for Safe Routes to School



	The Colorado state legislature recently approved $2.5 million for its Safe Routes to School programs, funding that will cover the 2015-16 school year. An August 2015 report from Mission: Readiness examining physical activity trends there noted that more than half of the state’s adolescents reported receiving no physical education in an average week, while only half of its high schools students got the recommended one hour of daily physical activity overall.

From the Field


	Unhealthy Snack Food Advertising to Children Increased Despite Industry Pledges to Self-Regulate



	Children saw substantially more television advertising for unhealthy snack foods in the past five years, according to a new study, Snack FACTS, by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut. Children’s and teens’ exposure to TV ads for unhealthy snack foods such as cookies, chips, and fruit snacks increased from 2010 to 2014, despite companies’ promises to market healthier products to children. On a positive note, healthier foods including yogurt, fruit, and nuts accounted for almost 40 percent of snack ads that children viewed on TV in 2014.


	Study Projects Rate Reductions, Cost Savings from Three Obesity Policies



	Eliminating tax deductions for unhealthy food ads directed to kids, a penny-per-ounce excise tax on sugary drunks, and setting nutrition standards for school snacks and drinks would prevent cases of childhood obesity and reduce healthcare costs between 2015 and 2025, according to a modeling study published in Health Affairs . Researchers projected that the sugary drink tax would prevent 576,000 cases of obesity and save $30.78 per dollar spent; elimination of the tax deduction would prevent 129,100 cases of obesity and save $32.53 for every dollar spent; and nutrition standards for school snacks and drinks would prevent 345,000 cases of obesity and save $4.56 for every dollar spent. Sent to NFS-L Yesterday


	Study: Cutting Sugar Has Quick Impact on Obese Children’s Health Indicators



	Obese children who cut out sugar from their diets start to see improvement on a variety of health indicators within ten days, including lower blood pressure and cholesterol, according to a study published in Obesity. According to lead author Dr. Robert Lustig, the study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, shows that “we can turn a child’s metabolic health around in 10 days without changing calories and without changing weight – just by taking the added sugars out of their diet.”


	Entertainment, Produce Companies Unite to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Promotions



	The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) announced an agreement with the Entertainment Resource & Marketing Association (ERMA) to increase the frequency of fresh fruits and vegetables being shown in movies and on television. ERMA will advocate for the use of fresh produce in television and movie production and track its use, while PMA will work to make fresh produce available for those opportunities.

Articles of Interest


	Rutgers Dedicates New $55M Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health



	NorthJersey.com, Patricia Alex, 10/27/2015 The $55 million New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health, which is intended to make the state a national model in promoting healthier lifestyles, was dedicated Tuesday at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.


	Florence School District 1 Official Says Students Have Adjusted To Food Rules



	SC Now, Melissa Rollins, 10/24/2015 A little more than a year ago, Florence School District One made national news when a student at South Florence High School started a petition on Change.org, saying that students in the district had lost their choice of pizza and French fries in the cafeteria. The buzz has died down and Donnie Chavis, the district’s Director of Food Services, said students have adjusted to the changes.


	Upcoming Events



	RWJF #FirstFri Google+ Hangout: Measuring What Matters to Build a Culture of Health November 6, 2015 12:15 pm ET Hosted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this Google+ Hangout will discuss what we can all do to build—and measure progress toward creating—a Culture of Health. Register for the Hangout. *2016 RWJF Culture of Health Prize: Phase I Applications* November 12, 2015 (deadline for Phase I applications) Sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the RWJF Culture of Health Prize recognizes and celebrates communities that have placed a priority on health and are creating powerful partnerships and deep commitments to make change. Up to 10 winning communities will each receive a $25,000 cash prize and have their success stories celebrated and shared broadly to inspire locally-driven change across the nation. Phase I applications for all applicant communities are due on November 12, 2015; winners will be announced in the fall of 2016. Learn more and apply online. Who’s Leading the Leading Health Indicators? Nov. 19, 2015 12:00-1:00pm ET Hosted by Healthy People 2020, this webinar will examine a Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative in King County, Wash., that aims to prevent obesity by promoting healthy eating and physical activity. Register for the webinar.

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