“Let
Them Eat Cake!”?
Executive Summary:
I recommend that
Senator Barbara Boxer support the Stop Obesity in Schools Act Addendum 2009.
Childhood Obesity is an epidemic in the United States. Since 1999, obesity has
grown from being a condition suffered by a minority of Americans to one being
endured by a majority of Americans. In
1985, 26% of Americans were obese while in 2009, the number hit an astounding
62% of Americans (Itallie 985). Poverty
level communities were 27% more likely to be obese than upper-class communities
(Townsend 34). Obesity cost this nation approximately
$117,000,000,000 per year in increased health care costs. If not addressed now,
the obesity crisis will continue to grow exponentially.
The Stop Obesity
in Schools Act will improve the nutritional value of food served on school
campuses, incorporate nutritional education into the curriculum for
pre-kindergarten through grade twelve, and increase physical activity in
during-and-after-school activities (Lowey ¶4).
The bill leaves the option to add measures in the future that would
provide a significant improvement in the health and wellness of the child
(Lowey ¶4). The proposal provides both
short-term and long-term solutions, impacts 55,000,000 children, produces
immediate results, and is cost effective.
If this Act is
implemented, the obesity epidemic will improve the lives of over 80,000,000 Americans
and future generations will not suffer the high costs of obesity. As 80% of obese children turn into obese
adults we must target the root cause of the problem: obesity in children. This bill has the ability to save all future
generations from the terrible dangers of obesity.
