The Healthy Choices for Healthy Children Coalition Backs Legislation

The AMCNO is also a member of The Healthy Choices for Healthy Children Coalition - a group that is backing a bipartisan bill that aims to get children more active and expose them less often to unhealthy lunches and snacks. The bill, introduced in both the Ohio House and Senate, would:

• Require that schools provide 30 minutes of physical activity for students each day.

• Increase required physical-education time for high-school students from a half-unit to a full unit, and ensure that teachers are licensed in physical education.

• Require that schools offer more nutritious food and beverages in vending machines and on a la carte menus.

• Require body-mass-index screenings for students entering third, fifth and ninth grades, educate parents about the results, and post aggregate results on district report cards.

• Increase access to free breakfast for students who qualify.

Childhood obesity is the most profound public health issue confronting Ohio today. It affects all Ohioans - whether directly, by impacting their own health or their children's health, or indirectly, by impacting the state's economy through the escalating cost society incurs to cope with chronic diseases statewide. Healthy Choices for Healthy Children is a coalition of organizations dedicated to preventing and decreasing childhood obesity in Ohio. To view more about this effort go to: www.healthychoiceshealthychildren.com.