Obama Signs Bill on Child Nutrition (US)

December 14, 2010

Thousands more children would get into school-based meal programs, and those lunches and dinners would become more nutritious under a bill President Barack Obama signed into law today, part of an administration-wide effort to combat childhood obesity.

“At a very basic level, this act is about doing what’s right for our children,” Obama said before signing the bill. The ceremony was moved from the White House, where most signings are held, to an elementary school in the District of Columbia to underscore the point.

Besides Obama, the bill also was a priority for his wife, Michelle, who launched a national campaign this year against childhood obesity.

“We can agree that in the wealthiest nation on earth all children should have the basic nutrition they need to learn and grow,” Michelle Obama said. “Nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our children. Nothing.”

The $4.5 billion measure would expand free school meals for the needy and give the government power to decide what kinds of foods may be sold in schools.

The legislation also increases the federal reimbursement for free school lunches by 6 cents a meal at a time when many school officials say they can’t afford to provide the meals. The new money also will allow 20 million additional after-school meals to be served annually in all 50 states. Most states now only provide money fo r after-school snacks.

The new nutrition standards will be written by the Agriculture Department, which will decide which kinds of foods may be sold and what ingredients can be used on school lunch lines and in vending machines.

The new standards will likely keep popular foods such as hamburgers and pizza in school cafeterias but make them healthier, using leaner meat or whole-wheat crust, for example. Vending machines could be stocked with less candy and fewer high-calorie drinks.

Bake sales and other school-sponsored fundraisers that sell unhealthy foods could be limited. The Agriculture Department will determine how often such events may be held. Public health advocates pushed for the language, saying they are concerned about daily or weekly fundraisers that allow children to substitute junk food for a healthier meal.