Another “champion” title appropriate for Senator Harkin is for his leadership efforts to fight childhood obesity and promote healthy living. In late January, at the beginning of the 113th Congress, he introduced the Healthy Lifestyles and Prevention America Act (HeLP America Act). The HeLP America Act is a comprehensive bill that would expand childhood obesity prevention efforts in schools, communities and workplaces and discourage companies from marketing unhealthy food to children. The bill would create pathways to increase access to nutrition information, promote physical activity and discourage tobacco use among children.

Some key nutrition provisions in the bill include:

• Expanding the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program that provides healthy fruit and vegetable snacks to children to all low-income elementary schools.
• Calling on the Interagency Working Group on Food Marketed to Children to finalize and release model guidelines for food marketing to children.
• Working toward a single front-of-pack labeling system for packaged foods.
• Implementing guidelines for reducing the sodium content of processed foods and restaurant meals.
• Providing healthier food options and calorie labeling for concessions and vending on federal property.
• Improving access to healthy foods, including children’s meals, in national parks.

The Prevent Cancer Foundation looks forward to working with the Senator and partners in the health advocacy community to advance this legislation in Congress. You can show your support by contacting your Member of Congress and requesting that they cosponsor this bill. You can find information on how to contact your Federal elected officials by signing up for our Advocacy Action Center at www.preventcancer.org.

In the U.S., 10% of preschoolers are obese and another 10% are overweight. Obese preschoolers are likely to be obese throughout their childhood. Studies have found that the risk for childhood obesity begins during and even before pregnancy, as the mother’s weight can also affect the weight of her baby.

The article cites family, community and society as contributors to obesity and refers to it as a “complex problem.” Possible approaches to the growing problem include strategies targeting pregnancy onward, improved lifestyle and environmental changes and reexamined nutrition and transportation policies.

Read the full Medical News Today article.

Some nutritionists say other juices can be just as harmful. Despite being fortified with vitamins in an attempt to balance out high calorie content, these juices can still cause health problems.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, drinking fruit juice offers no additional benefits over eating whole fruits. The Food Institute says that Americans drink an average of 267 ounces (over 2 gallons) of apple juice a year, second only to orange juice.

Read the full story at the Associated Press.
Apple juice can pose risk from calories

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