A bill that reduces both childhood hunger and childhood obesity? Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it? Unfortunately, both of these problems have gotten worse in recent years and the government is stepping in to help address both issues. Passed by the House of Representatives last week, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (S. 3307) will:

• Improve the nutrition quality of school meals by increasing federal reimbursement rates for school lunches by 6 cents per meal (doesn't sound like much but this is the first reimbursement rate increase in more than 30 years!)
• Require the Agriculture Department to develop science-based nutrition standards for all foods sold on school campuses during the school day
• Establish nutrition requirements for providing meals to young children in preschool settings, such as child care centers
• Help communities establish farm-to-school programs, create school gardens, and use more local foods in cafeterias
• Strengthen local wellness policies to help schools, communities, and parents to come up with solutions for helping children make healthy choices away from home
• Increase the number of eligible children enrolled in school meals programs
• Expand the Afterschool Meal Program to all 50 states  

We all know there's a lot of work to do end both childhood hunger and childhood obesity. At The Cooper Institute we're working hard to develop programs for schools (and affiliated teachers, students, and parents) that will help open eyes to these problems and inspire change. Visit our Youth Initiatives web site to learn more.

A new resource that can help you help the children in your home/community is Kids Eat Right, a joint initiative of American Dietetic Association and its Foundation. Check out all of the family-friendly articles, videos, and recipes at www.eatright.org/kids.