President Obama Signs “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010”

Children and nutrition took a front seat in Washington, D.C. today with the historic signing of legislation to change what is served in school lunches.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 was signed into law today by President Barack Obama.  The legislation will allow greater access for children in underserved areas to get healthy foods in school. It will also change the types of foods served in schools and add a layer of accountability to school nutritional guidelines.

The legislation reauthorizes child nutrition programs for the next five years to strengthen their requirements. It adds $4.5 billion of federal funding over 10 years to support those programs.

“Right now, across the country, too many children don’t have access to school meals and often the food that’s being offered isn’t as healthy as it should be,” said President Obama in remarks at Harriet Tubman Elementary School.

The president was joined by First Lady Michelle Obama and prominent lawmakers for the local ceremony. Mrs. Obama launched her “Let’s Move” campaign in February to get youth active and address childhood obesity. She has been a major proponent of changing the foods served in the nation’s schools to make a gradual, meaningful impact for children and their health.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act targets school nutrition in a few ways.  Among other requirements, the law changes the following:

• The USDA can now set nutritional guidelines in schools;
• Rewards schools that meet updated nutritional standards;
• Increases access to drinking water during meal times;
• Adds 115,000 more eligible children to school meal programs via Medicaid data; and
• Requires school districts to be audited every three years for nutritional compliance.

Lawmakers and health advocacy groups alike applauded the focus on nutrition for a generation of children plagued with obesity and weight issues.

“The historic signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act helps schools become part of the solution to the childhood obesity epidemic,” said Nancy Brown, the CEO of the American Heart Association.

“With the implementation of this law, our nation’s kids will be less likely to grow up with early risk factors for heart disease and stroke,” Brown added.

The USDA will work with states, school districts, and neighborhoods to implement the changes outlined in the bill.

Matt E. Stevens is the creator and chief blogger of Prune Juice Media. The site takes a sarcastic and informative look at the issues of the day – namely politics and current affairs. The goal of the site is to share information and make people laugh, or at least think. Matt is a contributing writer for Politic365.

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