Michelle Obama's Child Nutrition Act - Research Essay

Michelle Obama’s Child Nutrition Act

Michelle Obama’s very ambitious program to end childhood obesity has passed and now she’s trying to spread the “Let’s Move” campaign nationwide. The essence of Michelle Obama's plan is to help the children of the next generations adapt to a new, healthier and nutritious lifestyle, and consequently reducing obesity and diabetes. To do so, there are a number of approaches schools can take; after all schools are the number one place where students spend most of their day. Some of these ways include garden planting in schools and homes, activities that promote farm products in schools, and a general awareness of local farms from which the schools can attain their products. Though there are some school officials who come to argue the high expense of the program, the possibilities of not needing more funding for at least some of the ways is also plausible. One of the most effective ways with which schools can enforce Michelle Obama’s program and gain from it rather than lose is also by replacing junk food with healthy food in school lunches.
“Farm to School Movement”
In an attempt to help schools make a switch from junk food to healthy food, an emerging “Farm to School” movement has aimed to connect local farms with local schools. In most schools, local farm products are missing from most school lunch trays. In order to bring local farm products back on the trays, adequate funding has to be provided. In startup funds to local schools and districts, through competitive grants, for technical help in connecting school food service providers with local small and medium sized farms for efficient and cost efficient purchases of locally produced foods for school lunchrooms, the “Growing Farm Act” has promised to provide schools $50 million. As Senator Patrick Leahy has stated, “Connecting farms and schools makes sense in so many ways, from economics to nutrition.” Elaborating on his goal, Leahy said that this would also benefit local farmers, ranchers and fishermen. Cutting out middlemen and selling directly to nearby schools lets farmers keep more of each dollar, which rebounds through the local economy. The farm to school movement works together with Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign to fight childhood obesity. More than 30 percent of American children are obese and the risk to children are also a risk to the economy with the billions of dollars spent each year treating obesity related conditions like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The Center for Disease Control has identified increased fresh fruit and vegetable consumption as one of 6 top strategies to control and prevent obesity. (“Office of Sen. Patrick Leahy,”2010, p.4197)
The idea of planting farms in schools was first inspired by Michelle Obama. About a year ago, Michelle Obama used the White House garden for the first time to teach children good eating habits. With the help of Washington elementary school students, she planted a vegetable garden. Her goal was and continues to be, to promote healthful, locally grown fruit and vegetables and healthier eating by kids at a time when childhood obesity and diabetes rates has been rising. (“From Mrs. Obama’s Garden,” 2010, p.30)


“The Healthy-Hunger Act of 2010”
A few weeks ago a new bill was passed to protect safety and nutritional value of school lunches, including provisions to improve training for cafeteria workers and to alert schools more quickly about recalls of contaminated food. The Healthy-Hunger Act of 2010 would give $4.5 billion to child-nutrition programs over the next 10 years. The bill directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to set new nutrition standards for all food served in schools, from lunchrooms to vending machines. ”The bill puts us on the path to ending childhood hunger and addressing the epidemic of childhood obesity”, said Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. I think the Healthy- Hunger Act of 2010 will help provide funding for school lunches; therefore school officials who are complaining about the bill have no reason to worry about the funding. It won’t cost the schools any money to replace junk food with nutritious food. There are several food industries that are more than willing to help schools change their lunches and promote a healthier lifestyle for children. (“Eisler, 2010, p. 7A)
“Chiquita Brands International”
Chiquita Brands International announced its support for the United Fresh Produce Association Foundation’s “A Salad Bar in Every School” campaign. It will help support and bring fruits and vegetable salads to schools. Chiquita is the first produce company to commit to this very important and essential campaign. If more companies like Chiquita provided schools with healthier meals such as fruits and vegetables, they wouldn’t need to rely on vending machines to make money. It won’t cost them any money to switch candy bars with granola bars in vending machines. School officials need to become more aware of the problem and they need to help reduce child obesity. This campaign won’t be easy to accomplish but it is necessary in order to raise healthier children. (“Chiquita Brands International,” 2010, p. 4089)
“Aramark”
To increase fruit and vegetable consumption in schools, Aramark, a leading provider of food to more than 3,000 K-12 schools nationwide has promised to help with funding. Aramark, with the cooperation of the White House, federal and state agencies, local school districts and others will work together to increase participation in the “Healthier US School Challenge” and to increase nutrition education in schools. “Aramark will offer menu options that include more fruit, juice, vegetable, whole grains, and low-fat and fat-free milk in reimbursable school lunches.” In the next 10 years, Aramark along with suppliers is trying to pursue discussions to develop products with the following standards : “ a longer- term commitment to meet the Institute of Medicine recommended standards for fat, sugar, and whole grains over the next 5 years, and the standards for sodium through a 5% annual reduction.” This initiative taken by Aramark will help reduce childhood obesity and change the nation’s schools in the years to follow. (“Aramark; Joins First Lady,” 2010, p 4037)
“Michelle Obama”
Aspiring to solve the problem within as quickly as possible [within a generation] Michelle Obama started to talk about childhood obesity with engaging parents, schools, pediatricians, celebrities, and other public officials (“From Mrs. Obama’s Garden,” 2010, p.30). According to Mrs. Obama, “1/3 of the nation’s children are overweight, adding that obesity, diabetes and other related diseases cost the United States $120 billion a year.” As she exclaimed, "Those numbers are unacceptable.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also indicated that of the children born in 2000, 1 out of 3 Caucasians and 2 out of 3 African Americans and Hispanics will develop diabetes. Research shows that this may be the first generation in our nation’s history to die at a younger age than their parents (Cooper, 2010, p.A17). “None of us wants this future for our kids,” Obama said at the White House. “We have to act, so let’s move.” Michelle Obama’s campaign has four parts : “making better food choices, serving healthier food in school vending machines and lunch lines, making healthy food more available and affordable, an encouraging children to exercise more” (“Michelle Obama begins fight.” 2010)
“Funding”
President Barack Obama has proposed a $1billion budget increase for childhood nutrition programs. This amount however is still debatable by social officials, who have come to suggest that the funding being offered to the schools in order to replace junk food to healthy food, may not be so competent. The Associated Press said that the legislative initiative will include provisions to get rid of junk food from vending machines. On Long Island and across the country, schools rely on vending machines and on sales of snacks high in sugar, fat and salt as revenue streams. New York State education law already prohibits the sale of certain sweetened foods, such as soda, chewing gum and candy from the beginning of the school day until the end of the last scheduled meal period. A healthier program costs a lot more money, and they need to provide schools with the proper funding.
Therefore the $1billion budget increase proposed by President Barack Obama, may not be enough to cover the expenses for the nutrition programs. President Obama asked for an additional $10billion over the next years for child nutrition. The Senate will only provide $4.5billion extra. Gillibrand, who serves on the Senate Ag committee, believes that the funding in the Senate bill is not enough (Bottemiller, 2010). Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center of Science in the Public Interest said, “Though school officials will need more funding to serve healthier meals, its cost no money to switch from candy to a granola bar in a vending machine,” plus it sends a message she said. “You can’t be teaching kids about nutrition in the classroom and selling them soda and candy bars in the hallways” (Sant, 2010, p. A04). School food programs rely on the sale of snacks such as cookies and chips to break even. Switching to healthier meals won’t cost any money. School officials need to realize that if they continue serving junk food to children, it will cost them their health in the future. They are responsible for what they serve their students.The Agricultural Department staff members said that in addition to the increase in financing, changes in nutritional rules and financing for special programs will improve what is served in schools as soon as next year. For instance, milk is one of the biggest sources of saturated fat on the lunch line. The bill will allow only skim milk to be offered. They will ban whole and 2% milk. Schools will be also required to ensure that children have water with their meals. At least 40 million would be spend on farm-to-school programs and school gardens. Another 10 million would go toward adding organic food. Millions more have been included to train cafeteria workers. One of the biggest change is not only to change cafeteria food but in other places like vending machines, sporting events and hallway fundraisers. The law would give the Agriculture Department power to set limits on nutrients like sodium and fat in all food sold on campus. It would also set limits on the number of bake sales and other food-based fund-raisers.
The Child Nutrition Act will change the way kids eat, live and think, in the years to come. The future generations need to be educated at home and in classrooms to eat healthy. As the Ancient Greeks said, “A Healthy mind is a healthy body.” Despite the economic debates that many school officials have alluded, Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” program not only will reduce obesity and diabetes, but will also mark the beginning of a healthier lifestyle for children.