Youth+Against+Obesity

​**Introduction: **  Youth agaisnt obesity is a project in which I have started in my junior year of highschool. Every year the percentage of obesity for children rises. This on going overwhelming problem is effecting kids lives each day they consume these unhealthy foods provided to them. My goal is to better the knowledge of the students from grades k-12 about healthy eating by allowing them to view the nutrition facts of the school lunches they by monday through friday in their lunch rooms.

The act of providing children K-12 with school lunches that are high in fat without supplying the nutrition facts for each meal served. The lack of knowledge that adolescent have for the food they are consuming threatens their health and raises the concern for obesity. Today about 15% of children are obese and providing the health facts to school lunches can give the children a direct understanding of what is in the food they are eating and hopefully guide them to make healthier choices. **
 * Statement of Problem:

2010 -- H BILL # ======= LC01752 ß
 * Bill or Policy:**

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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2010

A N A C T RELATING TO _ADD THE SUBJECT OF THE BILL

__Introduced By__: Kenneth Carter __Date Introduced__: June 7, 2010 __Referred To__:  It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: Title of Bill: Nutrition Facts Exposure 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 || //Whereas fifteen percent of children are now currently obese in the United States, seeing as most school lunch programs are usually over looked by local officials making the system act more as a business and serve less expensive la carte foods that are higher in fat, sugar, and calories that effect the health quality of the students which directly effects the obesity percent increase. //
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//Let the students in grades K-12 know the nutrition facts for the school lunches provided each day. //

//Let the students be aware of the benefits and non benefits of their food to give them a chance to select the best options that will guide them to a healthy lifestyle and nutrition. //

//Let the Children have equal opportunity to be informed with the quality and ingredients of their food in which they are consuming. //

//This bill shall go into effect 100 days after passage. // ||

__Direct Action Plan: (May 14)__
**Direct Action ** · Awareness Assembly · Bring a Bag Lunch Day · <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Did you know Poster?!
 * <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 22pt; line-height: 115%;">Youth Against Obesity **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Options: **

1. Make a poster including the following: 2. Provide Health facts for one day at school during lunches. 3. Show ingredients of the meal 4. Refer to daily calorie intake, compare to amount you should intake for 1 meal 5. Make a second poster which should include: 6. Effects on your body from the food you ate the day before 7. Explain long term effects for your health if continued to eat the food 8. Provide better options or alternatives
 * <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Direct Action Chosen: **<span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Did you know poster?!

GOALS: To inform kids about the nutrition facts of the lunches they by

TARGET: The students and teachers of North Kingstown High School

HOW: Awareness Posters- actual facts, and then explain effects on the choices made

WHEN: During Lunches on June 7, 2010

Media Advisory:
**Media Advisory**

May 27, 2010 Lauren DiMaio Youth Against Obesity
 * CONTACT: **

Youth against Obesity gathers students of North Kingstown High School to participate in observing the demonstration on June 7, 2010.

Youth Against Obesity has planned a visual demonstration in order to educate the students that currently attend North Kingstown High School on the issue of unhealthy school lunches without nutrition facts being provided. This project is a continuously effort in trying to defeat the battle against obesity in teens today. With about 15 % of teens being over weight our goal is provide the information for the food they are eating to expose them to the truth and underlying ingredients in it.

WHO: North Kingstown High School Students, Residents of North Kingstown, volunteers, and parents of students.

WHAT: A visual demonstration to expose the truth about school lunches being served and nutrition facts that follow each meal.

WHERE: North Kingstown High School cafeteria, all four lunches <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"> WHEN: The demonstration will take place June 7, 2010 from around 11-1230 pm. Youth Against Obesity is aiming to educate the students of North Kingstown High School, along with parents, and other school officials the need for nutrition facts for school lunches. This plan of action is to help allow students to make healthy choices everyday during lunch.

__Press Release: (May 21)__
<span style="font-family: 'Chaparral Pro','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For Immediate Release Contact: Lauren DiMaio May 28, 2010 Cell: 401- **<span style="font-family: 'Chaparral Pro','serif'; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 115%;">Youth Against Obesity ** <span style="font-family: 'Chaparral Pro','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">North Kingstown, Rhode Island- For a democracy project lauren DiMaio is creating a demonstration by using posters with visual pictures and facts to put on display during all four lunches. My goal is to 1st expose the students to the unhealthy lunches they are eating but more importantly use this demonstration to explain how and why it is effecting them. In result, I would like to have a regulation to have to supply the students with health facts for every meal surved each day to better their opportunity for picking more benefitical decisions for their health and bodies. Claire Morton, a parent of a student who attends North Kingstown High School stated, “My child buys lunch everyday at school, but I am concerned about his health because of the poor options provided at school without any information on the foods.” School lunches are provided to benefit the students and allow them to have a good meal during the day. However, does anyone know exactly what they are eating? How healthy or non healthy that meal is? Loaded with fats, carbohydrates, and sodium the students are struggling to find healthy options without having any nutrition facts to base their decisions on. All students who share the same concerns on this issue may participate in the demonstration and spread the word around school. Posters will be displayed at the beginning of every lunch line for one week allowing the students the time to think about the facts they read.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Chaparral Pro','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Students concerns for unhealthy school lunches and effects from the foods in which they consume. **



__Letter to Elected Official: (May 27)__
Lauren DiMaio Youth Against ObesityEmail:lauren_dimaio@nksd.net 10 Linden Court North Kingstown, RI _ Dear Representative Carter, Obesity is becoming an ongoing overwhelming issue that needs attention. I have started a project in my democracy class to help children understand the consequences of eating unhealthy and giving them the nutrition facts which will allow them to chose foods that may benefit them more. About 15 % of children in the United States are obesity today. This number will continue to grow if schools do not put more effort into encouraging healthy lifestyles in young children and teens. I ask you to please look over the information presented and considered the bill in which I have proposed. This is a serious growing issue that if everyone takes a few steps toward the right direction to help kids become or stay healthy it will benefit the generations to come greatly. Please support and review the bill to continue the efforts in relieving this issue. Thank you.

From, Lauren DiMaio

Letter to the Editor: (June 1)
<span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Lauren DiMaio

26 Linden Court

North Kingstown, RI 02852

401-938-3498

To the Editor, Obesity is becoming an ongoing overwhelming issue that needs attention. I have started a project in my democracy class to help children understand the consequences of eating unhealthy and giving them the nutrition facts which will allow them to chose foods that may benefit them more. About 15 % of children in the United States are obesity today. This number will continue to grow if schools do not put more effort into encouraging healthy lifestyles in young children and teens. The problem lies in the lines of children not knowing what it is they are eating. An 8 year old sees french fries and a burger and is immediately drawn to them. What if there was information for the kids about the food? I propose this idea as a way to help kids adapt healthier lifestyles and to fight the ongoing problem of obesity in today’s society. I am asking you to support this solution to the problem and help develop regulations to make schools provide nutrition facts for the foods in which they serve. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Lauren DiMaio

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<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 180%;">REMINDER: DIALOGUES FOR DEMOCRACY WILL BE HELD AT 7:00 PM Wednesday June 9th in the High School Cafeteria. You are required to be there.