Agreement aims to reduce obesity among children
Not everyone is happy with a new plan to get high-calorie drinks out of schools. School administrators in Louisiana are concerned about loss of revenue. Principal Luanne Estes of Tara High School in Baton Rouge says money from soft drink machines helps fund clubs, organizations and athletics, and funding could drop because students won't be willing to purchase diet drinks.
We understand the concern over loss of revenue, and hope that habits among students change. Combating obesity in kids, however, must be a top priority. We support the removal of sugary drinks from vending machines.
Former President Clinton, who spearheaded adoption of the plan, has had his own battle with obesity. Most people remember television footage during his presidential years showing the plump president jogging - and stopping at fast- food restaurants along the way.
Working with the former president on the initiative were Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and the American Heart Association.
Louisiana already has launched a program aimed at obesity in young people. Last year, Gov. Kathleen Blanco established a "Healthy Drink Policy" under which half the drinks sold in public school vending machines must be juice, water or milk. Other states have implemented similar programs.
The need in Louisiana is great. The American Heart Association reported in 2004 that the percentage of overweight Louisiana children with Type 2 diabetes, or the beginning of heart disease, is higher than it has ever been. Nearly a quarter of the state's population is obese, and according to the Louisiana Council for Obesity Prevention and Management, we rank in the top six states for health-care costs for obesity-related diseases.
The plan to remove high-calorie drinks from school vending machines is a strong start to controlling the disturbing situation, and aim is being taken at the next target - junk food. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Trade Commission are calling on the food, advertising and entertainment industries to set minimum nutrition standards for foods that can be marketed to children.
This and the Clinton plan can have positive effects, but parents still must lead the battle by encouraging healthy eating habits and pushing their children to spend less time in front of the tube. The National Institute of Health says almost half of children age 8-16 years watch three to five hours of television a day, when they could be outside and active.
The threats that accompany childhood obesity are frightening and far-reaching. The rise in Type 2 diabetes among Louisiana children, for instance, substantially raises the risk of blindness, kidney failure and heart disease. These potential consequences make the battle against obesity in kids one we all must fight.
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