Research has shown that if this statement is on the menu along with calorie counts, people tend to eat less.
The new law will apply only to restaurants that have more than 20 locations.
Labels: legislation, calories
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The My Overweight Child blog will help you keep informed about the latest research, findings, and resources available to parents of overweight or obese kids. There are many knowledgeable people working on the increasingly dire problem of childhood obesity - and we want to give parents a place where they can check in regularly to see the latest studies and tips available to help you help your child lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
We invite you to add your comments - if you have feedback for the blog, would like some specific topics covered, or you just want to share your experience as a parent dealing with childhood obesity.
Labels: legislation, calories
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Senator Gillibrand is authoring legislation that would ban trans-fats in public schools. Any school that receives federal reimbursements would be required to remove food containing trans fats from the school. Schools would have a five year window to implement the policy. -- Source: News Channel 34 (Binghamton, NY)Senator Gillibrand is also working on legislation that would give the U.S. Department of Agriculture more authority over the types of foods that are served in schools.
Labels: childhood_obesity, legislation, prevention
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Labels: nutrition, legislation, calories, restaurants
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Labels: causes of childhood obesity, legislation, soft_drinks
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The new rule will replace the current process of weighing children every year. Eighteen other states require a body mass index calculation, but Massachusetts joins a smaller list of states, including Arkansas, that requires schools to notify parents about it.An eating disorder support association has expressed concern over the new regulation, pointing to the fact that many eating disorders are triggered when a child's weight is measured in school or a child is forced to go on a diet. Still, several health groups support the regulation, which will be phased into Massachusetts schools over the next 18 months.
Labels: legislation, schools, overweight children, body_mass_index
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"The information will be reported to schools, creating a set of data that will allow health officials to evaluate obesity levels based on geography... The data will be passed on to the state Department of Health unless parents ask to have the information excluded."A 2004 survey of New York's third-graders found that more than 20 percent were obese. New York is one of 13 states that tracks the BMI of its students. Source: Associated Press
Labels: legislation, body_mass_index
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"The proposed ordinance, which takes a page from boutique communities that turn up their noses at franchises, is supported by nutritionists, frustrated residents and community activists who call restrictive zoning an appropriate response..."Many experts have cited large discrepancies in the types of restaurants available in different parts of town as evidence that such a proposal is needed. Source: The Washington Post
Labels: healthy_eating, legislation, fast_food
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"Components of a healthy-schools bill include requiring the state to set nutritional and dietary standards for school meals and snacks, with an emphasis on unsweetened fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other nutritional foods."The farmers make a strong case for the higher standards by reminding lawmakers that produce and other items shipped from farms in upstate New York will be cost-effective because packing and shipping costs will be reduced. Both the Assembly and Senate passed their own versions of healthy-schools bills, but they couldn't reach a compromise before the session ended. Source: Press Connects
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"As the number of reports of childhood obesity rises, at least eight states have limited the use of trans fats in foods, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. California has an outright ban on trans fats in school meals, and Oregon doesn't let schools sell snacks with trans fats."Now that the bill has been approved the by the Senate, it moves on to the House, where it's expected to pass as well. From there, the bill would have to be signed into law by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Source: Chicago Tribune.
Labels: legislation, schools, fats
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"Illinois' bill would require the State Board of Education to eliminate cafeteria food cooked with vegetable oils containing trans fats by July 2009. A year later, all foods with added trans fats from cafeterias, vending machines and a la carte items would be outlawed. Food with naturally occurring trans fats - including meat, milk and cheese - would be exempt."Trans fats are created when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil. While these fats improve food's flavor and increase shelf life, they have also been linked to high cholesterol, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Source: The Courier News - Chicago
Labels: legislation, schools, fats
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"The biggest worry from those who objected: The numbers could shame overweight children and teenagers. 'They know in the third grade that they're fat. They know that,' said Rep. Neil Peterson, R-Bloomington, who said he has female relatives with eating disorders. 'Now you're going to line 'em up in class and do monitoring so you reinforce that.'"The bill's sponsor argues that the information would not be made public, but would instead be used to determine how and where efforts against childhood obesity are focused. Read more at WCCO.com.
Labels: legislation, schools, shame
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"Federal law currently requires the USDA to purchase commodity foods - meat, dairy products, eggs, and other unhealthy foods - and dump them into school lunch programs. These foods are not selected for nutritional value but are designed to support agricultural businesses by removing surpluses and providing price supports. That's why lunch menus are loaded with cheeseburgers, roast beef with gravy, and sausage-and-cheese pizza, while low-fat and vegetarian options are virtually absent. In the most recent federal survey, about 80 percent of elementary and middle schools violate the USDA's own limits on fat in foods."The problem also extends to the USDA's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. The WIC program is supposed to provide nutritional support for at-risk populations, but supplies up two 24 quarts of milk a month while supplying less than two pounds of fruits and vegetables.
Labels: nutrition, legislation, schools
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"The bill would add physical education to the multiple measures for determining accountability under NCLB, offering schools another way to meet their adequate yearly progress while promoting physical activity and nutritional education for students. States would be measured on their progress toward meeting a national goal for required physical education recommended by the Centers for Disease Control of 150 minutes per week in elementary schools and 225 minutes per week for students in middle and high schools."School districts and states would also be asked to report on students' physical activity and help promote healthy lifestyles. Studies have shown that the most physically active and healthy students often achieve the greatest academic success, which is what prompted the introduction of the FIT Kids Act.
Labels: legislation, schools, physical_education
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"Kids food ads have been attracting more attention in Washington, with TV ads for 'junk foods' cited by critics as one cause of rising childhood obesity, a charge food and advertising groups deny."Rep. Markey wrote several letters urging food and beverage companies to follow the lead of Kellogg Co. who has promise to re-engineer their less healthy food or stop marketing it to kids.
Labels: nutrition, legislation, marketing
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"'Obesity is becoming an epidemic and not only the state of Florida but nationally,' says Rep. Will Weatherford. 'I think this is an opportunity for us to really tackle it at the early stages... and we're talking about elementary school kids.'"State legislators are working with the American Heart Association to make sure kids of the Sunshine State get the time they need to exercise while at school. Read more online.
Labels: legislation, schools, states
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