For Media

The American Diabetes Association applauds Chairman George Miller and the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act today.  This passage allows President Obama to sign this important legislation, which passed the U.S. Senate in August, and reauthorize federal child nutrition programs.

If current trends continue, one in three children born today will develop diabetes.  Being overweight or obese are primary risk factors for type 2 diabetes.  Studies have shown that eating a healthy diet is important in preventing type 2 diabetes.  The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act will help schools provide a nutritious diet in schools by giving schools the resources to provide healthy meals to students through the school lunch program and removing junk foods and high calorie beverages from school vending machines and a la carte lines. The bill will also expand access to healthy foods for low-income women, infants and children.  These efforts will put us on track to reverse the current trend of type 2 diabetes in youth.

“We thank the House of Representatives for its passage of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act and urge President Obama to sign the bill as soon as possible.  This legislation represents a historic improvement in federal child nutrition programs at a time when our kids gravely need it.  The investment in child nutrition this bill makes will help us combat both the childhood obesity and the diabetes epidemics,” said Christine Tobin, MS, MBA, CDE, President, Health Care and Education, American Diabetes Association.