By: Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RD and Lindsay Maurath Date: 5/13/10
The White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity’s much anticipated report to the President was released this week, accompanied by a press conference from First Lady and Let’s Move campaign spokesperson, Michelle Obama. The Action Plan is a road map for ending childhood obesity within a generation. After months of research and planning, the time to move forward and take action is upon us. As Mrs. Obama noted, “We all know that it’s possible. We know we have the tools, we know we have the resources to make this happen…All we need is the motivation, the opportunity and the willpower to do what needs to be done.”
The Action Plan is based on recommendations from key stakeholders in the fight against childhood obesity including parents, children, healthcare providers, school systems, public and private organizations, government agencies etc. Earlier this year, in response to a request for support and resources, the International Food Information Council Foundation lent its expertise through a letter and comments highlighting recommendations for the Task Force to consider when creating the Action Plan. Specifically, the Foundation urged the Task Force to use research in the crafting and delivering consumer-friendly materials and messaging.
Through our consumer research, including the annual Food & Health Survey, we have determined that it is not simply enough to translate scientific information into lay terms. To be effective it is imperative to understand the part that individual perception plays in behavior change; this was one of many suggestions the Foundation made during the development of the plan. You can read all of our public comments and recommendations highlighting a decade of experience and expertise on the issue here.
The action plan clearly outlines the steps that will be taken by federal agencies and their partners in the fight to restore the health of our nation’s children. Among these steps, the Task Force took heed of the International Food Information Council Foundation’s recommendations and included the focus of empowering consumers, most notably parents and caregivers, with actionable messages about nutritional choices. The plan also made the assertion that when provided with sound information, these same consumers will be able to seek out and select more nutritious foods to improve their child’s health as well as their own.
As a non-profit organization committed to the communication of science-based information, the Foundation believes its role in the fight is to help empower parents and caregivers to make informed decisions in relation to the health of themselves and their children. As such, we will continue to provide current research and consumer-friendly materials on pertinent food and health issues. Through partnerships with government, health associations, educational institutions and others, we are dedicated to bringing all the scientific facts to light so parents can play an active and informed role in the creation of a healthy lifestyle for their children.
The formation of the Childhood Obesity Task Force, the Let’s Move campaign and the generation of this week’s action plan represent incredible momentum in the fight against childhood obesity, in the US and around the world. However, the motivation and hunger for change need to be carried into the action phase of this initiative to ensure its success and significant reversal of the current trend. Considering all the recommendations of the Task Force and moving forward quickly but also carefully will help avoid a loss in momentum and bring us closer to our goal.
We encourage all stakeholders to read this report and consider their role in the fight to drastically reduce childhood obesity and more importantly the necessary action steps going forward. In this massive collaborative effort, it is important to know, as a consumer, a professional or an organization: what is your role in the fight against childhood obesity? And in light of the new road map we have been provided, how are you going to pull your weight?