Source:  Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 12/13/10

President Obama has signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 into law, changing the guidelines for school lunch programs in order to add vegetables and fruit and take steps to reduce childhood obesity.
The legislation, authored by Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), reauthorizes federal child nutrition programs and makes the largest investment in the programs since their inception.

It provides for the first non-inflationary increase in the federal reimbursement rate for school lunch programs since 1973, and takes a step toward addressing the epidemic of childhood obesity by establishing national nutrition standards for all foods sold on school campuses throughout the school day. The bill received strong bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.

“The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act puts us on a path toward improving the health of the next generation of Americans, providing common-sense solutions to tackling childhood hunger and obesity,” Lincoln said, in a news release.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said, “As we continue to focus on the twin issues of childhood obesity and hunger, we will increase access to good, quality meals in school cafeterias so the nutritional needs of our youngsters are better met. This bill, along with the resources and the powers provided under it, are going to allow USDA to be much more effective and aggressive in responding to obesity and hunger challenges for America’s kids.”

First Lady Michelle Obama has made childhood obesity and the need for more exercise among school-age kids a primary concern. She advocated for the new law, and earlier in 2010 launched the “Let’s Move” campaign to encourage kids to work exercise into their daily routines.
 

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