Early Childhood Food Policy Paper

Will The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act recently signed into law on December 13, 2010 by President Barack Obama be able to deliver healthier meals in the schools nutrition programs or will the bill overwhelm struggling school districts with additional unfunded mandates? Schools confront difficult issues on a daily basis that affect the learning ability of their students: struggling economic conditions, students from poor families, increased food insecurity across the country, and constant pressures to increase student performance. Providing healthy meals for children, who otherwise would eat poorly or not at all, is a necessity that our country has recognized and planned for many decades. Two measures authorized

Us Americans love to eat food and eat more than we need to. We tend to snack and constantly eat even when we even arent hungary. Childhood obesity has brought many problems for kids and has allowed them to suffer from things. Surgeon general Richard states that “Because of the increasing rates of obesity, unhealthy eating habits and physcial inactivity, we may see the first generation that will be less healthy and have a shorter life expectancy than their parent.” Childhood obesity is increasing among the years, it tends to have many health effects, environmental causes, theories, and many reasons on how to prevent it.

        The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act (Public Law 108-265) was passed by Congress in 2004 (Corbin & McKenzie, 2008). The act requires all public schools, or schools with federal funding, to develop a wellness plan for the students (Corbin & McKenzie, 2008).  The policy is attached to increase opportunities for nutrition, physical education and encouragement of better food choices outside of school boundaries (Virgilio, 2009). While the sentiment is clearly positive, whether or not it works or favors certain populations is unclear. The Child Nutrition Act guidelines are a model, since some schools are not adequately funded, other vendors come into play that do not have the best interests of our children at

The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 was passed in order to reauthorize child nutrition programs. It provides funding and sets policy for nutrition programs such as the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Each local agency that participates in the National School Lunch Program or other federal child nutrition program is required by law to establish a local school wellness policy for all schools under its jurisdiction.

Hunger is a big social issue facing America today. According to (“Do Something.com”) 1 out of 6 people face hunger in the US. Also 49 Million Americans Struggle to put food on the table. America is the best country in world, we shouldn’t have so many people hungry. Many people have thought of fixing this problem but one company has found a way to help fix this problem, this company is Feeding America. They have been giving people food since 1979. They’ve helped out 46 million Americans. ( feedingamerica.org )

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the federal Healthy, Hungry-Free, Kids Act 2010 (Public Law: 111-296), provide an overview of the literature, discuss the implementation process, evaluate the policy, and provide explanations for continued support, or provide rationale on why the program should end. The Healthy, Hunger-Free, Kids Act (HHFKA) currently awaits re-authorization, and funding by Congress. The HHFKA was originally included in the Congressional reauthorization process, of the original 1966 Child Nutrition Act, (CNA) which establishing several nutrition programs for school aged children. The CNA was introduced as part of President Johnsons’ “war on poverty” (Matthews, 2014). The Healthy, Hungry-Free, Kids Act 2010, set new

In terms of economics, these high rates of childhood obesity will be devastating for the United States medical care system, on account of the increased rates of chronic weight-related conditions. The direct medical cost of United States childhood obesity generates one hundred forty seven billion dollars annually. If this obesity rates are not controlled these cost are estimated to double every decade. The increase of obesity in this nation is cutting down the economy through higher medicinal service expenses and lower efficiency, which is an excessive burden on our society.

A dramatic increase in childhood obesity from previous decades gives ample reason of a need for U.S. Government involvement. Results from surveys done in 1976-1980 and 2003-2006 by National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHHES), show obesity rate has increased from 5 to 12.4 percent for children between ages 2-5, from 6.5 to 17 percent age group 6-11 year olds, and from 5 to 17.6 percent for 12-19 year olds. (qtd. in Gale, 2010) These numbers show more specifically how the younger generation is affected by this crisis. According to the CDC, since 1980, childhood obesity rates have virtually tripled in size, causing for this negative turn in history. Former Senator Bill First writes in an editorial for The Hill, “For the first time in our nation’s history, our children and grandchildren are on track to live shorter

For this reason, I believe there is great need to campaign for new legislation and social programming that addresses the following supportive evidence for obesity resolution. According to Frieden, Dietz, and Collins, implementing legislation that heavily taxes unhealthy food will help reduce consumption of these foods. Decreasing the cost of healthy foods, subsidizing farmer’s markets in underprivileged areas, creating zoning legislation that prohibits the building of fast food restaurants in the vicinity of schools and recreation areas, prohibition of unhealthy food advertisements directed at children, requiring restaurants to offer healthy food options for kids with the nutritional information listed on the menu, increase active transportation and recreation, and improve physical activity programs will also reduce childhood obesity (Frieden, Dietz, & Collins, 2010). The difficulty in implementing these solutions is monetary and political. The businesses negatively affected by these changes will fight against them and the cost of subsidizing groceries for the impoverished areas will cost.

When you think of the word “epidemic,” you often associate it with disease such as the flu, or much more serious ones like the plague. What most people often do not think is the much more common, relatable epidemic of childhood obesity. While we may not be the generation that is being affected the most, chances are the children we see today and children of future generations will be affected if we do not take action now. A fast-food frenzy has swept the nation, technological advances both in and out of the classroom seem to be taking over children’s lives- leaving less time for being physical active, and obese kids are posing a higher risk for an already damaged healthcare system. Childhood

This project focuses on the analysis and comparison of the two policies on the criteria. It provides information on likelihood of decreasing rate of childhood obesity as well as alternative policy. Reinforcing NSLP in every school in our nation to adhere to dietary guidelines set forth by USDA. In addition, focusing on education and raising awareness among children and their parents even if our nation is on financial crisis especially budgetary and spending issues.

In 2010, the Healthy and Hunger-free kids act was signed by President Obama. The United States Department of Agriculture are to carry out the act. The HHKA was designed to improve the accessibility of nutritious food to children. More specifically, the HHKA will be giving money back to school that follow the new nutritional standards set. Foods of all forms will be overseen in their nutritional quality. This includes the food in cafeterias, vending machines, and school stores. The act makes food more accessible for students by gauging their eligibility based on Medicaid information and census data.

There is a giant threat looming over the United States, a catastrophic event of epidemic proportions which is threatening to capsize the health care system and that epidemic is childhood obesity. The awareness of this epidemic as a national problem developed in 1999 with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) publication of a compilation of yearly state-based maps that indicated the increase in the levels of childhood obesity. There were earlier studies done by the CDC regarding this epidemic, but the maps gave physical proof of the dramatic increase for this pressing issue (Dietz, 2015).

3. Increasing the number of eligible children in the school meal programs- by using Medicaid data and access to meals in high poverty communities using census data to determine income eligibility

In order to impede the epidemic of childhood obesity, the actual causes of the problem need to be evaluated and dissected. Obesity in children is becoming a huge problem in American society. In the past three decades, the rate of overweight children has increased by 300%. This is an alarming rate that is only climbing higher. Every member in society should take steps to becoming healthier. This would help the present generations as well as future generations to come. The lifestyle of Americans keeps us too busy to be a healthy society.