National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

President Barack Obama has issued Proclamation 8554 designating September 2010 as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month and encouraging all Americans to take action by learning about and engaging in activities that promote healthy eating and greater physical activity by all of our nation’s children. This proclamation appeared in the Federal Register (75 FR 54757, September 8, 2010):

Proclamation 8554 of September 1, 2010


National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, 2010

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

One of the greatest responsibilities we have as a Nation is to safeguard the health and well-being of our children. We now face a national childhood obesity crisis, with nearly one in every three of America's children being overweight or obese. There are concrete steps we can take right away as concerned parents, caregivers, educators, loved ones, and a Nation to ensure that our children are able to live full and active lives. During National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, I urge all Americans to take action to meet our national goal of solving the problem of childhood obesity within a generation.

Childhood obesity has been a growing problem for decades. While it has afflicted children across our country, certain Americans have been disproportionately affected. Particular racial and ethnic groups are more severely impacted, as are certain regions of the country. In addition, obesity can be influenced by a number of environmental and behavioral factors, including unhealthy eating patterns and too little physical activity at home and at school.

We must do more to halt and reverse this epidemic, as obesity can lead to severe and chronic health problems during childhood, adolescence and adulthood, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and asthma. Not only does excess weight adversely affect our children's well-being, but its associated health risks also impose great costs on families, our health care system, and our economy. Each year, nearly $150 billion are spent to treat obesity-related medical conditions. This is not the future to which we want to consign our children, and it is a burden our health care system cannot bear.

Earlier this year, the First Lady announced ``Let's Move!''--an initiative to combat childhood obesity at every stage of a child's life. As President, I created a Task Force on Childhood Obesity to marshal the combined resources of the Federal Government to develop interagency solutions and make recommendations on how to respond to this crisis. The Task Force produced a report containing a comprehensive set of recommendations that will put our country on track for solving this pressing health issue and preventing it from threatening future generations.

The report outlines broad strategies to address childhood obesity, including providing healthier food in schools, ensuring access to healthy affordable food, increasing opportunities for physical activity, empowering parents and caregivers with better information about making healthy choices, and giving children a healthy start in life. I invite all Americans to visit LetsMove.gov to learn more about these recommendations and find additional information and resources on how to help children eat healthy and stay active.

The new landmark health care law, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), includes a number of important tools for fighting and reversing the rise of childhood obesity. All new health insurance plans will be required to cover both screenings for childhood obesity and counseling on nutrition and sustained weight loss, without charging any out of pocket costs. The ACA also requires large restaurant and vending machine operators to provide visible nutritional information about the products they sell, enabling all Americans to make more informed choices about the foods they eat. As part of my Administration's comprehensive approach to combating this epidemic, the ACA includes millions in new funds to implement prevention activities nationwide that support recommendations of the Task Force on Childhood Obesity.

Our history shows that when we are united in our convictions, we can safeguard the health and safety of America's children for generations to come. When waves of American children were stricken with polio and disabled for life, we developed a nationwide immunization program that eradicated this crippling disease from our shores within a matter of decades. When we discovered that children were going to school hungry because their families could not afford nutritious meals, we created the National School Lunch Program. Today, this program feeds more than 30 million American children, often at little or no charge. When we work together, we can overcome any obstacle and protect our Nation's most precious resource--our children. As we take steps to turn around the epidemic of childhood obesity, I am confident that we will solve this problem together, and that we will solve it in a generation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2010 as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. I encourage all Americans to take action by learning about and engaging in activities that promote healthy eating and greater physical activity by all of our Nation's children.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

(Presidential Sig.)

FR Doc. 2010-22590
Filed 9-7-10; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3195-W0-P

Block and Bridle Barnyard Fun Day

The Cornell student Block and Bridle club will hosting a Barnyard Fun Day for elementary/middle school students and 4-H members throughout NYS. The club invites families to spend a fun-filled Saturday learning about animals with undergraduate students in the Animal Science Department before attending the Vet School Open House which runs from 10-4 http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/students/blockbridle/index.html

What: Barnyard Fun Day and Agriculture Education
When: Sat. April 10 (9am – 11:30am)
Where: Cornell University Livestock Pavilion
How? $1/child at the door

Demonstrations and Activities may include:
· Petting zoo filled with baby animals
· A chance to see inside a cow’s stomach
· How to make butter
· How to spin wool into yarn
· How to lead a goat through an obstacle course

Following these fun day activities, families are welcome to stay for a luncheon to be sold by the Collegiate 4-H Club. Spectators may also watch Cornell students at 12:30pm in their annual Livestock Show. Horses, dairy and beef cattle, pigs, sheep and goats will be on site for youngsters to meet their favorite animal.

For additional information, sample flyers and/or directions, please contact, B&B Club President: Katie Stayton – kms289@cornell.edu 315-427-1655 or 607-253-1155.
Pre-registration is not required; however, feel free to e-mail Katie with questions.

Real Food Is – National Video Contest

Students are challenged to define what real food means to them by creating a short video that completes the phrase "Real Food is..." Created by the National Farm to School Network and sponsored by the Lunch Box, this contest is open to K-12 and college students and runs until March 29, 2010. The winners will receive $1,000 and an all expenses paid trip to the conference to show their videos at the opening plenary. More info is available at video.farmtoschool.org.

Cooking Up Change - National Healthy Cooking Contest

Healthy Schools Campaign and the National Farm to School Network challenge students to a national competition to design a healthy school lunch. Using only ingredients commonly available for food service, the mission is to create a healthy meal that includes a locally grown item, meets strict nutritional guidelines, and tastes great. Three teams of students from each division (high school and college) will be selected to receive an all-expenses paid trip to Taking Root, the National Farm to Cafeteria conference this May in Detroit, Michigan to compete in the finals. In the final round, each team will prepare their meal and serve to a panel of prestigious judges. The winning team will head home with a trophy and other fabulous prizes. We are thrilled to welcome Karen Duncan, wife of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and Christie Vilsack, wife of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, as National Honorary Co-Chairs of Cooking up Change.
Submit recipes online by March 26, 2010. For contest guidelines and information, visit www.cookingupchange.org.