Congressman Bruce Braley, a Democrat from Waterloo, says obesity among kids is skyrocketing and it’s time for a new food experiment in 100 U.S. schools.
Braley today introduced a "Health Food Choices for Kids Act" which would require that calorie and other nutritional information be posted in the school cafeterias about what’s served for lunch in those 100 schools.
"Second, it will launch a nutritional awareness education program in these participating schools that will require them to develop and implement nutritional awareness education and teach children healthy eating habits both in and out of school," Braley says.
Braley’s bill would also require officials in those test schools to consult regularly with dieticians about what’s being served in the school cafeteria and available to students in vending machines.
"Fighting obesity is a huge part of my concern in addressing America’s health care issues and particular juvenile obesity," Braley says.
Braley cites a report issued last year that found one in five American four-year-olds is obese. "I’m not talking about overweight. I’m talking about obese," Braley says, adding that in his option the one-in-five figure is "an alarmingly high statistic for four year olds."
According to Braley, a recent study in Pennsylvania found high schoolers selected less caloric food when they saw nutrition information posted near the point where they picked up their food.