Featured Stories

 Strategic Alliance Victory!

 On September 12th Strategic Alliance released Recommitting to Health, a report assessing the state’s progress since last year’s Governor’s Action Summit on Health, Nutrition, and Obesity.

We are pleased to report that on September 14th Governor Schwarzenegger released the California Obesity Prevention Plan: A Vision for Tomorrow, Strategic Actions for Today.    The California Obesity Prevention Plan strongly reflects Strategic Alliance’s Taking Action for a Healthier California and incorporates the 10 Taking Action priorities. Taking Action, created in preparation for last year’s Summit, identifies concrete steps that business and government can take to create healthier places to live and work.

Each of the 10 priority recommendations in Taking Action is included in the state plan, which is “meant to serve as a springboard for government, business, voluntary and philanthropic sectors to convert fragmentation into collaboration and synergy, to carefully align and invest resources, and to create a shared response to a societal crisis.” The plan also recognizes that “choices that lead to poor nutrition and inactivity are often more available, affordable, and convenient than healthier options.”

We want to acknowledge how groundbreaking these actions are, at the same time, that they are only the beginning. As a next step, it is important for all of us to continue to work together to ensure that all of the recommended actions laid out in the state plan are fully implemented and that there continue to be stronger actions to improve our health.

Please visit the Strategic Alliance home page for further updates, including our next statewide members meeting, which will take place during the CA Childhood Obesity Conference in January 2007.

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Strategic Alliance Seeking Nominations for Journalism Award

We are pleased to announce that we will be giving out our second Strategic Alliance Journalism Award for Excellence in Nutrition and Physical Activity during the 2007 California Childhood Obesity Conference in Anaheim. Given the media’s critical influence on the debate around healthy eating and physical activity, the award acknowledges an individual reporter or newspaper who strives to include an environmental and policy perspective in their coverage of nutrition and physical activity.  

We are currently accepting nominations from all Strategic Alliance members by December 1, 2006. Please click here to read more about the criteria for nominating a reporter or newspaper and for a nominations form.Also, remember to save the date for the Strategic Alliance Member meeting to be held during the conference on Thursday, January 25, 2007 (6:00 -7:30
p.m.). Join fellow Strategic Alliance members from around the state to share optimal strategies for creating healthier nutrition and physical activity environments, with particular emphasis on advocacy for local and statewide policies.

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Legislative updates

Governor Signs School Breakfast Legislation!

On September 29th  Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 569, legislation which sets the stage for action to bring breakfast to our state’s neediest schools.

Nutrition advocates were elated by this signing.  “Assembly Member Garcia and Governor Schwarzenegger have shown great leadership in taking steps to make sure that all our children in California will start the school day with the nutrition essential for them to be ready to learn,” said Ken Hecht, Executive Director of California Food Policy Advocates.  “AB 569 sets the stage for bringing the breakfast program to every school with high concentrations of needy students.  This will raise test scores and infuse federal funds into our local communities,” said Hecht.

AB 569 directs the California Department of Education's Nutrition Service Division to undertake an immediate study to determine the precise number of California schools that qualify for "severe need" reimbursement under the federal School Breakfast Program. “Severe need” is defined as a school where 40 percent or more of the lunches served go to low-income students qualified for free or reduced-price meals.  Focusing on these severe need schools brings in a higher federal reimbursement for breakfast, which makes AB 569 a fiscally prudent approach.  The study, which also will examine the cost and feasibility of serving breakfast at these schools, must be completed by March 31, 2007.

Assembly Member Bonnie Garcia is the author of AB 569, and California Food Policy Advocates is the bill's sponsor.  The study is expected to fuel future legislative action to expand school breakfast.  As existing studies show, school breakfast improves schools' test scores -- and the more children who participate in the breakfast program, the more the whole schools' academic performance will improve.

Details on the AB 569 can be found at www.leginfo.ca.gov and at www.cfpa.net.

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Proposed New WIC Food Package!

On September 7, 2006, USDA released proposed rules containing sweeping changes to the WIC food packages. The deadline for comments is November 6th, 2006.  If approved in final form, the changes will ensure that WIC foods are consistent with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the current infant feeding practice guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics, because the changes:

• add fruits and vegetables, and whole-grain products to the food packages for the first time;
• reduce the amount of certain foods (milk, cheese, eggs, and juice) in order to better align them with the guidelines;
• provide stronger incentives for continued breastfeeding by providing less formula to partially breastfed infants and providing additional quantities/types of food for breastfeeding mothers;
• replace juice for infants with infant food fruits and vegetables starting at six months;
• provide lower fat milk for older children and adults.

The proposed rule would provide $6 per child and $8 per woman, in the form of a cash-value check, for any choice of fruits and vegetables (except white potatoes).  Based on current participation, this translates to an infusion of $84 million per year in additional buying power for fresh produce in low-income communities – this could improve the food access for others in the neighborhood!

These proposed changes will strongly reinforce WIC nutrition education messages, as well as address the cultural food preferences among California’s diverse population. They will promote and support long term successful breastfeeding, which is a key early step in obesity prevention. Taken together, the WIC community believes this regulatory proposal will ultimately have a positive impact on the health of women, infants and children in California.

WIC needs your help in letting the USDA know that health care providers support the proposed changes in the food package.

Comments are due by Nov. 6. For more details on the USDA WIC Food Package proposal and how to send in your comments, go to Legislation at www.calwic.org.

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In the News

Most Public School Children Exposed to ‘Junk Food’ Advertising

A recent study shows that companies that sell so-called "junk food" are behind most of the commercial activity targeting children in schools.  "A National Survey of the Types and Extent of the Marketing of Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value in Schools," is the first nationwide survey to assess the nature and degree of marketing foods of minimal nutritional value and foods high in fat and sugar in schools.

Study authors estimate that between 26.6 million and 30.3 million students are exposed to advertising of foods of minimal nutritional value or foods high in fat and sugar in school.  Advertising in schools  includes: sponsorship (of sports teams, clubs, scholarships, and the like), incentive programs (giving free goods or coupons for academic achievements), and the appropriation of space (displaying brands, logos or names on vending machines, scoreboards, sports fields, or in the form of corporate "naming rights" for school facilities). 

"Schools' health and nutrition curricula teach children to limit the amount of 'junk food' they consume," said Alex Molnar, lead author of the study. "When schools participate in advertising efforts, they are, in effect, encouraging over-consumption of such foods, and thus compromising their curriculum -- not to mention their students' health."  

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Initial Rules for Requiring More Educational Programming and Limiting Excessive Advertising to Children Have Been Approved

On September 26th the Federal Communications Commission established new rules providing children with more educational programming and protecting them from excessive advertising. The approved rules become federal regulations that must be adhered to by all digital broadcasters.

These rules, established by Children Now and the Children’s Media Policy Coalition, include limits on the display of commercial websites during children’s programming, as well as limits on how television characters such as SpongeBob can be used to market to children on websites whose addresses are displayed on television while the show is broadcasted.  These new rules are a critical first step in ensuring that children are protected from harmful advertising practices.  For more information about digital television and interactive advertising, visit www.childrennow.org/issues/media/.

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Resources

Eye on Infrastructure

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) – California, Region 9 – recently released the 2006 Report Card for California’s Infrastructure. Individual working groups, representing both private and public sector civil engineers, assigned letter grades to nine categories of infrastructure in the state.

Parks and Open Space received a D+ Grade.  California’s growing population is increasing demands on our parks, natural forests and beaches. Inadequate planning and funding has resulted in significant degradation of parks and facilities. An annual investment of $1.5 billion would be necessary to bring the Parks and Open Space grade up to a “B.”  Click here to read the full report.

UC Berkeley Report Evaluates Implementation of SB 19 and SB 56

The University of California, Berkeley’s Center for Weight and Health released a report evaluating the pilot program established by California Senate Bills 19 and 56.  This legislation established nutrition standards for competitive food and beverages sold at school. The 21 month-pilot program, Linking Education, Activity and Food (LEAF) awarded grants to 16 middle and high schools to implement the competitive food and beverage  standards, promote policies that support the consumption of California grown fresh produce, and develop and implement policies to improve student nutrition and fitness.

UC Berkeley researchers found that, despite concerns to the contrary, school food service revenues actually increased at the majority (81%) of the LEAF schools.  Students purchased fewer snack foods and sweetened beverages, but bought more meals instead resulting in an increase in total revenues.  Additionally, California agriculture also stands to benefit from programs like LEAF that encourage the consumption of locally grown produce.  Students were served 20% more on average and a greater variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.  The researchers also found high levels of support for SB 19 at the LEAF schools despite initial concerns that there would be resistance.  Teachers were especially supportive of the improvements that were made to the foods being offered and often commented that student behavior improved as a result

The full report is available at: www.cnr.berkeley.edu/cwh/activities/LEAF.shtml.

New Resources from California Project Lean!

California Project LEAN is pleased to announce new resources to develop, implement and evaluate your school wellness policy.

Policy in Action: A Guide to Implementing Your Local School Wellness Policy
This user-friendly guide is designed to serve as a roadmap for implementing school nutrition and physical activity policies, including local wellness policies. The Guide includes:

• Easy-to-use worksheets
• Strategies for implementing food, beverage and physical activity policies
• Strategies for engaging youth
• Ideas on communicating your policy
• Marketing strategies to encourage healthy choices, and
• Guidance on how to monitor and evaluate your policy.

School Food Standards Calculator

This comprehensive online school food nutritional standards calculator will determine if an individual food item meets the food standards for calories, fat, saturated fat, and sugar established by California’s legislation (SB 12).

School Food Standards Slide-Guide: Does Your Snack Measure Up?

This easy-to-use pocket guide will help you identify snack foods that meet California’s guidelines for foods sold in elementary and middle/high schools.  It’s a handy tool with a slide guide to determine if your product meets the standards for calories, fat, saturated fat, and sugar.

Appetite for Profit: How the Food Industry Undermines Our Health and How to Fight Back

The United States is currently embroiled in a national debate over the growing public health crisis caused by poor diet. The major food companies are responding with a massive public relations campaign. These companies, including McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Kraft, and General Mills are increasingly on the defensive. In response, they are pretending to sell healthier food and otherwise position themselves as "part of the solution.” All the while, they continue to lobby against commonsense nutrition policies. Michele Simon’s new book explains how to fight back by offering reliable resources. Readers will learn how to spot the PR, how to not be fooled, and how to organize, for example, to improve school food.  For more info: http://www.informedeating.org/newbook/newbook.htm

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Announcements

Call for Safe Routes to Schools Projects!

Building on the successes of California’s Safe Routes to School Program (SR2S) and other similar programs in other states, Congress authorized a new five-year federal grant program to improve conditions for children in kindergarten through eighth grade, to safely walk and bicycle to school.  Applications are due January 2, 2007.  Applications that have the best chance of being selected for funding are those that are developed with community participation and incorporate key elements referred to as the five E’s –education, encouragement, engineering, enforcement and evaluation. To learn more information and access application materials, click here.

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Upcoming Events

Strategic Alliance Members Meeting

January 25, 2007; Anaheim, CA

Walk Audit

October 21, 2006; Los Angeles, CA

Policy in Action:  Implementation and Evaluation of Your Local School Wellness Policy

October 23, 2006; San Jose, CA and various dates and locations

Parks, Recreation, and Public Health: Collaborative Frameworks for Promoting Physical Activity

October 26 - 28, 2006; Dallas, TX

Community Farm Bill Forum

October 28, 2006; Oakland, CA

California Childhood Obesity Conference

January 23-26, 2007; Anaheim, CA

Registration materials now available!

6th Annual Smart Growth Conference

February 8-10, 2007; Los Angeles, CA

Registration materials now available!

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Thanks for reading!  The Strategic Alliance is currently engaged in building a broad and diverse statewide membership.  If you were forwarded this e-mail and want to receive your own copy in the future, please click here or e-mail Sana@preventioninstitute.org.  And if you’re already a member, please forward this message to your colleagues so we can continue to strengthen our coalition.  Thank you!

WHAT IS THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE?

The Strategic Alliance is reframing the debate on nutrition and physical activity away from a focus on individual choice and lifestyle towards one of environment and corporate and government responsibility. Current Steering Committee members are: California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit), California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA), California Food Policy Advocates (CFPA), California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, California Park and Recreation Society (CPRS) , California Project LEAN, California WIC Association (CWA), Child Care Food Program Roundtable, Latino Health Access, Partnership for the Public’s Health, Prevention Institute, Samuels & Associates, and YMCA of the East Bay.

The Strategic Alliance is supported by funding from The California Endowment.

The Strategic Alliance is reframing the debate on nutrition and physical activity--from a focus on individual choice and lifestyle, towards one of environment and corporate and government responsibility.

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