More than 9 million children in the United States are obese. Many have high blood pressure and cholesterol, two precursors to cardiovascular disease. The Farm Bill, which uses taxpayers money to find the production of foods high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sugar, is fueling the obesity epidemic.
Children who are overweight are more likely to develop heart disease during adulthood, according to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers project that teenage obesity in the United States will raise heart disease rates by at least 15 percent by 2035. But healthy food and lifestyle choices can help stem this trend.
Parents don’t need the government sabotaging their efforts to help their children make wise food choices.
Congress can help make fruits and vegetables more available to all children by passing the Lugar-Lautenberg Amendment when they vote on the Farm Bill this month. It would reduce federal subsidies for unhealthy foods and give more support for fruits, vegetables, and other healthy vegetarian foods that can help children stay slim and avoid heart disease.
Susan Levin, M.S., R.D.
staff nutritionist
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Washington, D.C.
Letters to the Editor
Discussion
Farm Bill fuels U.S. obesity epidemic
Anonymous The Bluefield Daily Telegraph Tue Dec 11, 2007, 04:45 PM EST
- Letters to the Editor
-
-
Issues, not race, led to votes for Judd
May 23, 2012
-
What’s next for Raleigh?
May 23, 2012
-
Commandments ‘our reverence to God’
May 22, 2012
-
No reason for PVHS graduation uproar
May 21, 2012
-
Keep all commandments in place
May 20, 2012
-
Shameful debate ruining graduation
May 19, 2012
-
Vets deserve lawmakers’ attention
May 18, 2012
-
Votes were against Obama
May 18, 2012
-
On Romney, Bluefield, health care
May 16, 2012
-
Vets need better health care coverage
May 15, 2012
- More Letters to the Editor Headlines
-
Issues, not race, led to votes for Judd
- Editorials
-
- Budget shortfall — Difficult decisions await school board 16 hours
- Black eye for W.Va. — Primary vote merits need for change 1 day
- Mountain Festival — Family-oriented fun in the Bluefields 3 days
- Under attack — The Obama-led EPA strikes back 4 days
- Veterans clinic — Time for action from Washington 5 days
- Smooth transition — Spencer tapped for McDowell post 5 days
- Coalfields Expressway — A six-year commitment in Virginia 7 days
- Troops to Trucks: Putting veterans to work in Virginia 8 days
- Day report center — McDowell must expedite funding search 9 days
- Tourism season Exhibition mine expecting a crowd 12 days
- Columns
-
-
Day at the gun range brings excitement and renewed respect for safety 16 hours 1 Photo
- True story of the Rocket Boys of McDowell County will live on in Raleigh 1 day 1 Photo
- More business-like habits in Washington might rescue the country 2 days
- Doppler Effect puts proper prospective on the changes that come with age 3 days 1 Photo
- Drive-ins, baby names, snakes, more 3 days
- Campfires, cut-offs and river rapids highlight mini vacations of long ago 4 days 1 Photo
- Mustaches, baby names and more 4 days
- Celebratory events slated in Kimball 4 days
- Another year end day at our school in our town brings back special memories 5 days
- Response to graduation debate 6 days
-
- Poll
-
Do you agree with President Barack Obama’s decision to turn over orbital space flights to private businesses so NASA can instead concentrate on asteroids and Mars? After voting, go to facebook.com/bdtonline to comment.
-
-
