Key Issues

Thanks to updated nutrition standards from the U.S. Department of Agriculture  (USDA) that went into effect last fall, school meals now have more whole grains, fruits and vegetables- and less sodium, fats, and sugars.  Check out this delicious and nutritious offering from the Saint Paul Public Schools.

But right next to healthier meals like this are offerings, known as competitive foods, that don’t have to follow the same updated guidelines that school meals do.  Isn’t it about time that the nutrition standards for food sold in school vending machines, a la carte lines, snack bars, and school stores are based on the latest science and nutritional needs of children?

Tell the USDA you support strong, consistent nutrition standard for all foods and drinks sold in schools.

Roughly 40% of students buy a snack at school each day, which can contribute to excess calories if kids aren’t making healthy choices, or don’t have healthy options available to them.  By strengthening nutrition standards for all foods offered in the school environment, we can clear up the mixed messages kids are getting and help them ‘snack smart’. 

In order to make this update happen, the USDA needs to see a strong display of public support.  Over 1,200 You’re the Cure advocates have already taken action- and we need YOU to keep that tally rising. 

Please take two minutes to send a message to the USDA now.  Public comments will only be accepted until April 9^th.    

American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown issued the following comments today on the USDA’s preliminary rule on “competitive foods” in the nation’s schools:

“The new competitive foods rule has the right ingredients to keep American kids healthy. Less salt, sugar and fat in the snacks and drinks kids have access to at school will help them maintain a normal weight and help keep them free of heart disease and stroke.

Schools, where kids spend most of their day, play a significant role in what they eat. These new standards are a much-needed step forward in the school food environment. They will provide an excellent opportunity to promote more fruits and vegetables and whole-grain foods in children’s diets.  Even more importantly, when combined with the nutrition standards for school meals, they will lower children’s high sodium intake. In addition, we are pleased to see that the rule sets minimum standards that states can exceed if they choose.

We greatly appreciate that in developing these new guidelines, the USDA took into consideration the voluntary standards developed by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, which was founded by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation.

In the coming weeks, the association will submit more detailed comments on the proposed competitive foods rule.  We are committed to working with the USDA and our partners to create a positive nutritional environment in the nation’s schools. These new food and beverage guidelines will go a long way in achieving that goal by putting kids’ health first and giving us the tools to fight childhood obesity.”

American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown issued the following statement today on “The Healthier Lifestyles and Prevention America (HeLP America) Act,” introduced by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA):

“Sen. Tom Harkin’s tireless efforts on behalf of prevention are greatly appreciated by the American Heart Association and we enthusiastically support the HeLP America Act.

Prevention is one of the strongest tools we have in the fight against heart disease and stroke.  Investing in programs that propel the use of prevention measures such as increased physical activity, improved nutrition and reduced tobacco use will help Americans adopt healthier habits, and ultimately drive down our nation’s rising health care costs. The HeLP America Act accomplishes this by expanding prevention efforts in schools, communities, and workplaces.

For example, provisions included in this legislation will help make physical education a priority for our school children, a goal we believe is a strong way to help attack our childhood obesity problem and develop well-educated and healthy students.  Other initiatives in the bill, such as a requirement for a science-based update to the Physical Activity Guidelines every 10 years, will also help Americans of all ages boost their levels of physical activity.

While the nation’s nutrition policy has advanced in the past few years, there is still work to be done. We are also glad to see many other positive nutrition provisions in the bill, including an expansion of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, an initiative which helps low-income children have access to these foods, help them learn about healthy habits, and help them make informed nutrition choices.  The legislation also goes a long way to close existing loopholes on tobacco taxes and increase Medicaid coverage to help smokers break the chains of their addiction.

We look forward to working with Sen. Harkin and our partners to advocate for this legislation and improve the public health of all Americans. ”

Learn more about the HeLP America Act.

It’s time to welcome the 113^th Congress!  We all know the best welcomes are personal, so we’re asking You’re the Cure advocates to introduce themselves to their members of Congress by recording a video and uploading it to Facebook.

We’re calling it the “Hello, my name is ____” campaign.  We want your elected officials to know you and your heart or stroke story- and to remember it when they vote this year.  When you record your video, consider using this script (and try to keep your video to about 60 seconds!):

 “Hi my name is [your name] from [City, State].”

 “I am passionate about policy changes that can help improve cardiovascular health in this country because [tell your story].”

 “Now that I’ve shared my story with you, I have one question for you: Will you remember me when you vote this year?”

Watch an example from our National Grassroots Director, Clarissa Garcia:

(Please visit the site to view this video)

Once you’ve recorded your video on your phone, tablet, or camera, save it and upload it to Facebook. To upload your video to Facebook:

1. Scroll to the top of your Facebook homepage where your status box is.
2. Click Add Photos/Video.
3. Click Upload Photos/Video.
4. Select your video from the location you saved it to on your computer or mobile device.
5. Write a post for your video.  Make sure to ‘tag’ your Representative and Senators and our American Heart Association: You’re the Cure page!  We recommend using this caption:

Hello, @[Enter your lawmakers names starting with an “@” symbol to tag their accounts], my name is [your name], and I’m an @[American Heart Association: You’re the Cure] advocate. Here’s why I support heart-healthy and stroke-smart public policies. Will you remember me when you vote this year?

(Note: Use our Legislator Search tool to identify your Representative and Senators.  You’ll need to “Like” their Facebook pages in order to ‘tag’ them with your video.)

If you’re unable to upload a video, there’s another easy way to introduce yourself to your legislators. Simply share your story by sending a personalized email today!

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to let us know at advocacydc@heart.org. 

We can’t wait to see your videos. Thanks for being the cure!

Whether it’s the flashiest toy, latest animated movie, or newest fashion craze, every parent or guardian can attest to the fact that their children are constantly bombarded with media advertising on television and the Internet. Another popular item to market to youth is food, such as cereals, sodas and restaurant meals. So, how much money are companies spending on marketing products to children and how healthy are these foods?

Before the end of 2012, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a report entitled A Review of Food Marketing to Children and Adolescents: Follow-Up Report which aimed to answer these questions. The study compared 2006 industry data to 2009 (the year where many companies decided to self-regulate and improve their food marketing practices). Has industry changed their advertising methods since 2006? And is the food they market any healthier? Major findings from the study are show below.

• The industry spent $1.79 billion marketing to youth in 2009, which was a decrease from $2.1 billion in 2006. However, spending on newer media (online or on mobile devices) increased by 50%.
• The FTC found “modest” improvements in the nutrition of food heavily marketed to children, including beverages, cereals and restaurant meals.
• Marketed cereals had less sugar and more whole grain than in 2006, however; overall these cereals were the least nutritious.
• Marketed drinks had slightly fewer calories in 2009 than in 2006.
• Finally, meals advertised for children at “fast food” restaurants as “children’s meals” were better nutritionally than main entrees geared to children.

“The encouraging news is that we’re seeing promising signs that food companies are reformulating their products and marketing more nutritious foods to kids…But there is still room for improvement,” said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz.

Unfortunately, the FTC also found that the use of television characters, such as SpongeBob SquarePants, to promote unhealthy meals was commonplace in 2009. Recently, about 1,400 You’re the Cure Advocates urged Nickelodeon to stop advertising junk food to children with their popular characters. If you haven’t already sent a letter to the network, go ahead and tell them to stop marketing unhealthy foods to our children today!

Many chains, including Starbucks, Panera and McDonald's, have already begun posting nutritional information on their menus, well ahead of the Affordable Care Act's mandate to do so next year.

Technomic conducted a survey of restaurant consumer attitudes and found that 65 percent favor such labeling in restaurants, with the strongest demand for listing of calories and sodium content.

Moreover, 70 percent of consumers say they care that chain restaurants disclose calorie and other nutritional information on their menus and 68 percent want nutritional information on all restaurant menus, not just chains. About the same percentage claim that having this information is helpful in making ordering decisions and believe it has a positive impact on consumer health and nutrition.

Read more about this study here.

Today, the AHA’s work to urge Nickelodeon to set strong nutrition standards for the foods marketed on its media outlets and by its shows' characters was featured in the Capitol Hill publication, The Hill. Check out the full article- Health groups tell Nickelodeon to stop hawking junk food. The AHA recently co-signed a letter with 50+ other health groups to the leadership of Nickelodeon and its parent company Viacom- and You’re the Cure advocates have sent over 2800 messages too.

With childhood obesity rates at record-high levels, the National Academies’ Institute of Medicine (IOM) conducted a thorough review of the science and research on food marketing and concluded that food advertising affects children’s food choices, food purchase requests, diets, and health. In addition, the majority of foods marketed to children remain of poor nutritional quality.

Nickelodeon has a chance to follow The Walt Disney Company’s lead. Disney recently announced plans to apply nutrition standards to advertisements through child-directed television, radio, and online sites, and update its nutrition standards for foods that can be advertised to children.

Send a quick message urging Nickelodeon to puts kids’ health first and set responsible advertising standards.

As we get ready to welcome the 113^th Congress to Capitol Hill in January, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on all of the activity that took place on key heart and stroke issues this year.  In a tough economic environment, You’re the Cure advocates, like you, helped play critical defense to protect funding and programs that support our shared mission of building healthier lives.

We’re also proud to report that over 34,000 new grassroots advocates joined You’re the Cure this year, making our unified voice that much stronger in our communities, our states, and in the nation’s capital.  And what a noise we made!  Advocates took over 350,000 actions this year, from sending emails and making phone calls, to attending events and meeting with lawmakers, and more.   

Thank you for your hard work to influence Congress in 2012.  We’re excited to make even more progress in 2013!

As states and districts mobilize to fight childhood obesity, the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) is releasing updated information regarding physical activity and nutrition in schools in its Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn series of school health policy guides. 

“Research has repeatedly shown that healthy students have a greater chance at academic success than those who are not,” said NASBE Executive Director Jim Kohlmoos. “While families naturally have primary responsibility for their children’s well-being, schools also have a vital role to play, and effective programs begin with sound policy. Physical activity and healthy eating need to be looked at as complementary policy areas to best help students lead healthier, more active lives.”

The guides are rich with recent scientific data, analysis, examples of state and local best practices, and evidence-based model policies that can be adapted by schools, districts, and states. The guides also cover a wide array of topics, ranging from creating healthy eating environments and nutrition-related school services to what makes a quality physical education program, promoting active commuting to school and the importance of recess and other physical activity breaks. Take a look and then share this helpful resource with you state lawmakers and local school administrators today- www.nasbe.org/fhrtl

Publication of Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn was made possible with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The statistics are well known and sobering.  More than 23.5 million children and adolescents in the United States—nearly one in three young people—are overweight or obese. However, today the American Heart Association and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) are teaming up with the ambitious goal of reversing the obesity epidemic by 2015.

Building upon AHA’s extensive advocacy capacity and experience, RWJF will provide the AHA with $8 million in initial funding to create and manage an advocacy initiative focused on changing local, state, and federal policies to help children and adolescents eat healthier foods and be more active.

“Individuals across the country recognize the severity of the childhood epidemic, and they are counting on their elected and appointed representatives to support efforts to help children lead healthier lives,” said Nancy Brown, AHA CEO. “We’re excited to work with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to organize and build support for those policy efforts so the country can make lasting change.”

Under the new initiative, RWJF and AHA will focus on policy interventions to advance six priorities that research shows are likely to have the greatest impact on childhood obesity. Those priorities include:

 
• improving the nutritional quality of snack foods and beverages in schools;
• reducing consumption of sugary beverages; and
• protecting children from unhealthy food and beverage marketing.
• increasing access to affordable healthy foods;
• increasing access to parks, playgrounds, walking paths, bike lanes and other opportunities to be physically active; and
• helping schools and youth-serving programs increase children’s physical activity levels.

“As a country, we’re gaining a better sense of what changes work, and now it’s time to make those changes in every community. I’m confident this new collaboration with the American Heart Association will help us do just that," said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, RWJF president and CEO.

For more information and specifics about this ambitious plan, please read the full press release.

RESTON, VA, November 13, 2012 – The 2012 Shape of the Nation Report: Status of Physical Education in the USA, released by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and the American Heart Association, finds that while 74.5 percent of states mandate physical education in elementary through high school, most still fail to require a specific amount of instructional time and nearly half allow exemptions, waivers and/or substitutions. These “loopholes” reduce the effectiveness of policy efforts to ensure the quality of physical education currently taught in the nation’s schools.

  “While other studies demonstrate the importance of quality physical education in helping students learn the necessary skills, knowledge and experiences they need to be physically active for a lifetime, the Shape of the Nation Report has been disclosing the inadequacies of physical education policies in this country since 1987,” said NASPE President Mary Jo Sariscsany, associate professor, California State University, Northridge. “It is time to eliminate the ‘loopholes.’ We urge parents to join our efforts to be more proactive and effective advocates for physical education to ensure that their children’s schools and school districts are complying with required state physical education policies. Every school should implement the recommendations outlined in this report.” 

 “The fact that kids are being deprived of physical education in school is unacceptable, especially in a nation suffering from a childhood obesity epidemic,” said Nancy Brown, American Heart Association CEO. “Making physical activity a part of the daily routine is critical to saving the next generation of Americans from heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other serious problems.”

The report found that the majority of states mandate that students take physical education (43 states for elementary, 41 states for middle, and 44 states for high school). However, gaps exist in over half of these states. Thirty-three states permit schools and school districts to allow students to substitute other activities for their required physical education credit. Twenty-eight states allow schools or school districts to grant exemptions/waivers for physical education. Other key findings include:

• Only six states (Illinois, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York and Vermont) require physical education in every grade, K-12.
• Forty nine states plus the District of Columbia have their own state standards for physical education; only Iowa has not adopted state standards.
• Only 26 states (51 percent) require some form of student assessment in physical education.
• Only thirty states (59 percent) allow required physical education credits to be earned through online physical education courses.
• Compared to 2010, twice as many states (28 vs. 14) require physical education grades to be included in students’ grade point averages.
• Only fourteen states (27 percent) require schools/school districts to perform fitness assessments.
• Only 11 states (22 percent) prohibit the practice of withholding physical activity, including recess, as punishment and prohibit the use of physical activity as punishment for inappropriate behavior or for disciplinary reasons.

NASPE and the American Heart Association recommend that schools provide 150 minutes per week/30 minutes per day of instructional physical education for elementary school children, and 225 minutes per week/45 minutes per day for middle and high school students for the entire school year. Currently, no states follow these nationally recommended guidelines at all levels. The complete list of physical education program recommendations is included in the full report.

In addition to pushing for mandatory physical education in all K-12 schools in the United States, the two associations encourage parents to be more proactive in advocating for school districts and communities to develop and promote the use of safe, well-maintained and close-to-home sidewalks, bike paths, trails, and facilities for physical activity and sport participation. More importantly, parents and other adult role models need to set good examples by being active themselves. 
 
The Shape of the Nation Report, which surveys physical education coordinators in all 50 state education agencies and the District of Columbia, raises awareness and provides data for an ongoing evaluation of the progress made and challenges that remain in physical education policies.  This year’s Shape of the Nation report includes new elements that address the areas of school physical activity requirements such as recess, classroom physical activity breaks, the use of physical activity as punishment, support for the Safe Routes to School program and local school wellness policies. 
 
NASPE provides free online Tools for Observing Quality Physical Education.  For ideas on increasing physical activity opportunities in your community, visit www.LetsMoveInSchool.org

Take a guess… On average, how many advertisements for food do kids under the age of 12 see each day?

A) 3

B) 7

C) 10

D) 13

If you guessed D, you are correct- and the majority of those ads are for unhealthy foods and beverages.  $2 billion per year is spent advertising food to children and studies have shown these aggressive marketing tactics are contributing to our nation’s childhood obesity epidemic.    

But what if the top child-directed media companies in the U.S. held advertisers to a higher standard, in the best interest of our kids?  This year, the Walt Disney Company announced it will no longer accept advertisements for junk food on its child-directed television, radio, and online sites.  And we need your help to ask Nickelodeon to follow Disney’s lead.   

Send a quick message to Nickelodeon’s leadership today, urging them to stand-up for a healthier generation by setting strong nutrition standards for advertisers. 

One important way to stop this rise in obesity and chronic disease in our children is by establishing lifelong physical activity habits with strong physical education (PE) programs and regular physical activity opportunities throughout the day in our nation’s schools.  That’s why the AHA strongly advocates for protecting and enhancing PE programs at the state and federal levels. 

Check out this great video from SPARK - a research-based, public health organization of the San Diego State University Research Foundation- that helps highlight why PE matters!

(Please visit the site to view this video)

A new survey from The California Endowment found that the new national school meal standards, which were implemented this fall, are being well received by students and parents in California.  Overwhelmingly, both parents (91%) and students (82%) support the changes to school nutrition standards- and most students believe that school lunches are better than they have been in the past.  Read the New American Media article about the results.

The new guidelines, established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) using the latest nutrition science and recommendations from the Institutes of Medicine, include more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in school lunches, while limiting sodium and trans fats. 

Do you support these changes?  How is your school district working to provide healthier options to students? 

Visit the USDA’s website for helpful toolkits for patents, students, and educators that offer information about the changes and ideas for helping make the transition a smooth one. 

Dallas, Texas, Sept. 17, 2012- American Heart Association says New CDC Study Illustrates Need to Limit Sodium in Foods

The American Heart Association says a new study examining the connection between sodium intake and the blood pressure in U.S. children and teens points to the urgent need to limit salt in foods consumed by young people.

The study, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in the journal Pediatrics, found that kids between the ages of 8 and 18 were eating an average of 3,387 milligrams a day of sodium. That’s nearly the same amount consumed by adults and more than double the 1,500 daily milligrams recommended by the American Heart Association.

“It’s very disturbing that this nation’s children and teens consume too much salt in their diets at school and home. High blood pressure, once viewed as an adult illness is now affecting more young people because of high sodium diets and increasing obesity,” said Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. “While new nutrition standards for school meals are helping, progress is slow.  This study strongly underscores the need to move faster because our kids are on an early path to heart attacks and strokes.”

Too much sodium is linked to high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke and several other serious health problems.  High blood pressure is one of several diseases that once appeared mainly in adults but has become much more common in youths during our childhood obesity epidemic.

The CDC study found that the risk for high blood pressure among overweight and obese youths rose 74 percent for every 1,000 milligrams of increased sodium intake per day. That compared to only a 6 percent increase among normal-weight young people. 

More than 75 percent of sodium in the diets of Americans comes from processed and restaurant foods, as well as beverages. So much sodium in the food supply leaves many youths with little control over how much they consume.

“The salt we all eat daily is becoming a major public health issue and current approaches to sodium reduction in the U.S. have not been effective,” Brown said. “We must make the reduction of sodium a national priority.”

The American Heart Association recommends that the U.S. Department of Agriculture institute strong sodium targets in schools and apply new sodium limits sooner than what is currently required.  The association also has also called on the Food and Drug Administration to decrease the Daily Value for sodium to 1,500 milligrams a day and to set mandatory limits on the sodium content of foods.

Washington D.C. - Just in time for the new school year, this new physical fitness test will help improve our children's health. See the AHA's statement below from CEO Nancy Brown.

“The new school fitness program launched today by The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition and other organizations is a positive step forward in the battle to promote children’s health and improve the quality of physical education in the United States.

This assessment will be a great way to evaluate the health impact of physical education programs in schools and allow for a standardized comparison of fitness levels of children across the country. The information collected can be used to inform course curriculum development, children’s physical activity programming and policy change. In addition, the data will be a key resource in developing future strategies to tackle the childhood obesity epidemic, reduce children’s risk factors for heart disease and promote daily physical education in schools.

A high-quality physical education program enhances the physical, mental, social and emotional development of every child, and it incorporates fitness education and assessment to help children understand, improve, and maintain their physical well-being.

Childhood obesity rates have tripled over the last few decades. Almost 20 percent of young Americans are currently considered obese and are at a greater their risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension and other life-threatening illnesses.

Research shows that healthy, more physically fit children learn more effectively, are higher academic achievers, have better attendance and are better behaved in school.

The American Heart Association fully supports this effort, and we urge all states and school districts to integrate this fitness assessment into their physical education programs.”

Believe it or not, there’s a heated debate in Congress right now over fresh fruits and vegetables in schools. And we need you to help us be the voice of reason.

Will you take a moment to tell your legislators why providing kids with access to fresh fruits and vegetables during the school day is important to their health and nutrition education?

It’s hard to imagine why some Members of Congress would want to change the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, which effectively:

Provides more than 3 million elementary school students in over 7,000 schools in lower income areas across the country with a fresh fruit of vegetable snack every day at school.

Exposes children to a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables that they may not otherwise have access to.

Increases kids’ daily consumption of fresh produce, which is critical to a healthy diet, without increasing their average intake of calories.

Supports local farmers and grocers who help supply the schools with fresh fruits and vegetables.

However, despite this success, some lawmakers have offered proposals to the Farm Bill that would cut funding for the program by 1/3 and allow other types of snacks to be served, weakening the integrity of the program, as outlined in an article on Education Week’s blog today.

We can’t allow this to happen. Send a quick email of support today to help defend the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program!

Washington, D.C. – American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown issued the following statement today on the latest version of the transportation legislation approved by Congress last week:

“The transportation legislation passed by Congress today jeopardizes the safety and health of kids all across America.

Under this current bill, funding for biking and walking projects would be cut by 60 to 70 percent. Dedicated federal support would be eliminated for Safe Routes to Schools, a popular and cost-effective program that makes walking and biking to school safer. Additionally states would be allowed to allocate this funding for other purposes, which would weaken local control.

Since 1980, the number of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese has grown to nearly one out of three. Because of the numerous chronic diseases associated with obesity, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes, today’s children are on a path to becoming the first generation with a shorter life expectancy than their parents.

The Safe Routes to School program can help reverse this terrible trend by bolstering physical activity to keep our kids healthy. Research indicates that children who walk or bike to school are not only more active and maintain a healthier weight, they also perform better in school and have less truancy and disciplinary problems.

In a recent report, the Institute of Medicine made five recommendations for preventing and solving the nation’s obesity crisis. The first recommendation is to integrate physical activity into people’s daily lives by providing opportunities to walk and bike. This aligns with the American Heart Association’s recommendations of regular physical activity to help everyone live a heart-healthy life.

The American Heart Association is disappointed that the current transportation legislation cuts dedicated funding for Safe Routes to School, along with the funding for walking and biking paths around the country. These funds are essential to tackling the nation’s obesity problem and supporting physical activity for America’s children.”

Do you know what jicama is? Or how pineapples grow? If you ask a student who participates in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), chances are they’ll be able to tell you. This successful federal program provides daily fresh fruit and vegetable snacks to more than 3 million elementary students, increasing their intake of fresh produce and providing important nutrition education.

However, despite the effectiveness of the FFVP and its popularity among students, teachers, food service staff, administrators, and parents alike, the program faces significant threats in the U.S. House of Representatives as Congress works to pass the 2012 Farm Bill. Proposals include slashing funding for the program by 1/3 and allowing other types of snacks to be served through the program.

With votes planned soon, we must speak-up now to urge the House to follow the Senate’s lead and protect the funding and integrity of the FFVP for our kids’ health!

Earlier this year the USDA worked to improve nutrition standards for lunches in official school meal programs, but what about those vending and a la carte items?

After improving food served in school lunch programs, the USDA is currently focusing their attention on those other items or “competitive foods.” But will this help our children’s nutrition and the schools finances? According to a recent study, the answer is ‘yes’ to both.

A new health impact assessment commissioned by the Kids’ Safe & Healthful Foods Project and the Health Impact Project found that updating standards on competitive foods will help our kids’ waistlines and our schools bottom lines.

According to the director of the Kids’ Safe & Healthful Foods Project, Jessica Donze Black, “The evidence is clear and compelling. Implementing strong national nutrition standards to make the snacks and beverages our children consume healthier is something that schools and districts can afford. The USDA should do all it can to finalize and help implement strong standards.”

Want more information on the study? Click here to read the study or watch the video below!

On Wednesday May 17, You’re the Cure advocates from six key states (CO, KS, MN, NE, OR, and TX) flew to Washington D.C. to urge their Members of Congress protect the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). The FFVP provides snacks of fresh fruit and vegetables to elementary school students in low-income schools across the country, increasing access to and consumption of fresh produce. As Congress reauthorizes the 2012 Farm Bill, the program faces threats.

The seven advocates attended an afternoon of issue training and legislative meeting practice to prepare them for their day on Capitol Hill, where they met with Senators, Representatives, and staff.

Additionally advocates participated in a congressional briefing, The Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program: A Win for Agriculture, Children, Schools, Families and Public Health, where they shared firsthand experience with implementing the program in their schools.

Annette Derouin, Director of Food and Nutrition Services, Willmar Public Schools in Willmar, MN, noted how the FFVP is transforming her elementary students into fruit and vegetable lovers, recalling how the students applaud and yell out “thank you” when the fresh fruit and vegetable snacks are delivered to their classrooms every day. Rex Bruce, Superintendent of Sublette School District in Sublette, Kansas, gave evidence for how the FFVP is improving child nutrition, academic performance and the local economy. Sublette elementary schools purchase $30,000 of fresh fruits and vegetables for the FFVP from their local supermarket each year, helping that supermarket stay in the community.

Jessie Coffey, FFVP Coordinator for Lincoln Public Schools in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Gitta Grether-Sweeney, Director of Nutrition Services for Portland Public Schools in Portland, Oregon, told the House and Senate audience that their FFVP reaches 10,000 and 9,000 low-income elementary students every day, respectively. Coffey and Grether-Sweeny explained that the demand for FFVP is greater than the available funding at both the district and state level.

The event was co-hosted by the American Heart Association and United Fresh Produce.

Check out the You’re the Cure Facebook page for more pictures of the event!

NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins brought a serious message recently on the Comedy Central’s Colbert Report a few days ago. Dr. Francis talked about the importance of eating well and the state of America’s obesity epidemic.

Have a few laughs and check out the video.

On Friday, April 27th, the U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood walked to school with his grandchildren. Why is this news? Because Secretary LaHood was also joined by other community members and children promoting the Safe Routes to School program in Indiana.

“We know that, when kids walk or bike to school, they get energized for their school day and they bring neighborhoods together”, said LaHood.

Indianapolis Mayor, Greg Ballard, and Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner, Mike Cline, joined LaHood in this walk to bring awareness to Safe Routes to School, according to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation blog.

“Safe Routes programs are efforts by parents, schools, community leaders, and local, state, and federal governments to improve the health and well-being of children by enabling and encouraging them to walk and bicycle to school,” said LaHood.

The American Heart Association is also committed to the Safe Routes to School Program. In early March, over a dozen AHA volunteers took to Capitol Hill to urge their lawmakers to protect the program.

Dr. Jim Blaine of Springfield, MO, knows the importance of prevention. As the Medical Director of the Ozark Technical Community College Health & Wellness Clinic, he has seen cardiovascular events decrease over the last four years by helping patients focus on diet, exercise, and taking the proper medication to manage heart disease and stroke risk factors. And it is the theme of prevention that helped him make a strong case for the Safe Route to School program when he came to Washington, DC on March 7^th.

With funding threats to the Safe Routes to School program looming, Dr. Blaine and 16 fellow advocates brought their message about the need for safe, walk-able and bike-able communities from their hometowns to the halls of Congress. Armed with letters of support from local business, education, and government leaders, Dr. Blaine met with Senator Roy Blunt and Representative Billy Long, as well as staff from Senator Claire McCaskill’s office.

“This is a very worthwhile project and, thanks to the AHA, we had an enjoyable and, hopefully, effective DC experience,” said Dr. Blaine.

On March 29^th, both the House and the Senate passed a 90 extension of the current transportation bill, giving Members until June 30^th to reach an agreement. The American Heart Association will continue to advocate for Safe Routes to School funding to be included in the final package.

Read Dr. Blaine’s interview with his local paper about advocating for Safe Route to School.

Thanks to a new law in Arizona, fields, courts, and playgrounds at schools will soon be more accessible to communities. On March 13^th, Governor Jan Brewer signed a “shared use” bill that limits the liability of schools if they open their grounds during non-instructional hours for recreational use. The new law goes into effect on June 15, 2012 and is critical to providing the public with increased opportunities for physical activity.

This important victory couldn’t have happened without You’re the Cure advocates. They flooded state lawmakers with hundreds of messages of support for the bill and took advantage of face-to-face time with lawmakers and staff at the Arizona State Legislative Reception to stress how important shared use is to building healthier communities. Plus, the state’s You’re the Cure Leadership Committee helped close the loop by making personal phone calls to thank the Governor after the bill became law.

As other states across the country work to pass similar shared use legislation, this win sets a positive example. Congratulations Arizona!

Interested in learning more about “shared use” policy? Visit www.unlockpossibilities.org today to download the Playing Smart toolkit, produced through a partnership between KaBOOM! and the National Policy & Legal Analysis Network to Prevent Children Obesity, a project of Public Health Law & Policy.

Today, more than a dozen advocates from across the country flew in to Washington D.C. to meet with their Representatives and Senators and urge them to include Safe Routes to School program funding in the pending transportation bill. The timing of these visits could not have been more crucial, as both the House and Senate are urgently working on passing their own versions of the legislation.

Today’s a big day in our push to help save Safe Routes to School! We’re blitzing Congress with face-to-face visits by advocates and we’re running an ad in Politico to urge our nation’s legislators to “give America’s kids the right of way to a healthy life” by preserving the program in the federal transportation bill. But we need your help to make sure EVERY Member of Congress gets the message.

It’s quick and easy to be part of the action! Simply…

• Print a copy of the AHA’s Safe Routes to School ad.
• Personalize it with your contact information.
• Fax it to your U.S. Representative and Senators. You can find their contact information here.
• Report back! Let us know you sent your faxes!

The fate of Safe Routes to School, which helps communities build safe sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike paths that allow kids to be more physically active, is still up in the air. But thanks to your action, we are making progress. Just last week, the Senate included a provision in its transportation bill that would ensure that local governments and school systems are able to access critical funds to make communities safer for bicycling and walking. But our work is far from over until a final bill is passed and signed.

Thank you for doing your part to give America’s kids the right of way to a healthy life!

**Don’t have a fax machine? No problem! You can call the Capitol switchboard (202-224-3121) to be connected to your legislators’ offices. Don’t forget to tell them who you are, where you are from, and that you are counting on Congress to preserve funding for Safe Routes to School in the transportation bill.

Washington, D.C. — American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown issued the following statement on the release of the final nutrition standards for school meals announced today by First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack:

“For the first time in a generation, America’s children will have better choices when they get in line at their school cafeterias.

The new U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition standards are a huge win for kids’ health that will greatly improve the selection of foods and beverages sold in schools. When put into place across the country, these guidelines will play a critical role in helping young Americans maintain a healthy weight, and ensure their lives are free of heart disease and stroke.

Unfortunately, this victory is not yet complete. The American Heart Association was extremely disappointed that recent congressional interference with the USDA standards will allow schools to keep french fries and pizza on the daily menu. In addition, the association is concerned that children are going to continue to consume too much salt because the timeline to apply sodium standards in school meals is lengthy.

The association looks forward to working with the USDA, state legislatures and departments of education, and local schools districts to apply — and improve — the new nutrition standards.”

Check out this video below from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that recaps 2011. In this video, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius speaks about the Million Hearts Campaign, which the American Heart Association is a proud member. The Campaign aims to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years.

Click to see the video!