School Nutrition Policy

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Q: Identify any areas that are vague or ambiguous.?
“By making obesity a disease, government does all Americans—large or not—a disservice.”
Obesity should not be labeled a disease, Sonia Arrison contends in the following viewpoint. She asserts that while obesity is becoming more prevalent in the United States, treating it as an illness instead of the result of poor dietary choices would unfairly harm healthy Americans. By calling obesity a disease, the condition could be treated using Medicare or Medicaid funds, which come from the taxpayer dollars of all Americans, fat or thin. Arrison concludes that individuals must be aware of the consequence of their overeating and realize that society will not pay for their higher health care costs. Arrison is the director of technology studies at the Pacific Research Institute, a public policy think tank that promotes free-market solutions.
[In March 2005] California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his intentions to support a bill outlawing the sale of junk food in schools. Science shows the governor is right to worry about an obesity crisis, but banning candy in schools is like putting a Band-Aid on a third-degree burn.
According to the American Obesity Association, “approximately 127 million adults in the U.S. are overweight, 60 million obese, and 9 million severely obese.” That’s a huge number of people, and basic medicine predicts that their weight problems will turn into more serious conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, a number of cancers, gall bladder-disease, osteoarthritis and obstructive sleep apnea.
The Economics of Obesity
In short, people are eating themselves to death. While consequences are dire for each obese individual, what many don’t realize is that their choices also harm the part of America that remains healthy. The most obvious impact is the economic strain. Numbers provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that obesity costs Americans a ton.
For instance, in 1998, medical expenses due to obesity accounted for 9.1 percent of total U.S. medical expenditures and may have been as high as $78.5 billion. That’s a lot of cash, but the kicker is that approximately half of these costs were paid by Medicaid and Medicare—in other words, by taxpayers. There’s something disturbing about this situation, which could be described as socialized obesity. By sharing the health care costs with obese people, health-conscious Americans lose tax dollars and see health insurance premiums shoot up.
[In 2004] Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson designated obesity as a disease. But much of obesity is caused by poor nutrition and behavioral problems. By making obesity a disease, government does all Americans—large or not—a disservice. Many diseases hit individuals through no fault of their own, but obesity is in a different category.
Individual Responsibility
To ward off obesity, proper diet and exercise are necessary. Yet the socialization of the costs of the problem only makes it more likely that individuals will carry on with their destructive behavior. It’s not rocket science: Whatever is subsidized will grow. And by incentivizing individuals to ignore the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle, we all suffer a productivity hit when otherwise smart people die early due to obesity-related diseases. Dr. Bruce Ames, the eminent biochemist and inventor of the Ames test for carcinogens, has made longevity and diet one of his key areas of study. His conclusions show that in order to live longer, individuals must maintain a good diet, including the proper amount of vitamins and antioxidants. This advice might seem a no-brainer, but it is easy to ignore in a society where junk food marketing is everywhere and the costs of individual overeating are distributed amongst everyone.
The best way to help mitigate the onslaught of obesity is to make sure that individuals are aware that the costs of their behavior will be borne by them. That is, if they choose to eat potato chips and sit in front of the television night after night, instead of eating fruits and vegetables and exercising, then they should not expect society to help them pay the higher costs of health insurance.
Perhaps this is a cultural issue as much as a political one, which brings the discussion back to Governor Schwarzenegger’s quest to ban junk food in schools. The idea of educating the population about the risks associated with empty calories, such as those found in soda, is a good one. And in a publicly-run system where government is supposed to be responsible for the well being of children, perhaps it makes sense. But there is a larger issue.
While schools should educate children about nutrition and a healthy diet, ultimately, kids will have to make their own decisions. So the lesson is also one of individual responsibility. That’s how a free and healthy society operates.

A: Try taking out the little bits of slang, like “the kicker” and “no-brainer”. They stand out too much in a piece that is so factual. Also, you seem to have two arguments here: that obesity should not be treated as a disease in order to avoid financially punishing thinner people, and that children should be taught to make better nutritional choices rather than having those choices made for them. Whatever my opinion on either of those issues, you should either make the tie between them clearer or focus on one or the other.

Q: Have I misunderstood the stance of the “Christian right”?
All states reported increases in SNAP/Food Stamp caseloads between December 2007 and December 2008.

In December 2008, SNAP/Food Stamp participation was 31,784,453 people

August 2009, SNAP/Food Stamp participation continued to break records, rising to a record 36,491,920 people, an increase of 640,751 individuals from July 2009, the prior record level, and an increase of 7 million people compared with the prior August.

Approximately one in eight Americans receives SNAP/Food Stamps. This is the highest share of the U.S. population on SNAP/Food Stamps. Click here to see a state-by-state analysis

http://www.frac.org/html/news/fsp/2009.08_FSP.htm

unemployed, plus all marginally attached
workers, plus total employed part time for
economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian
labor force plus all marginally attached workers..
Oct 2008 11.1

Sept 2009 16.1 %

Oct 2009 17.5 %

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t12.htm

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This is because they are lazy — no good bastards — slothful

The result of sin — if only they had gone to church or had faith or or or

This is a curse from God because of porn sales and evolution being taught in schools

This is the natural selection process of the prosperity doctrine —- which is to say social Darwinism with God making the decisions and therefor government policy social problems and so on are just their own fault

—————————
Where is the concern for public health safety nutrition and the natural depression resulting in squalor and destitution ?

From my perspective the so called Christian right want to grind the poor into the dirt a little harder

Have I misunderstood the stance of the “Christian right”?

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) says the nation’s homeless veterans are mostly males (four percent are females). The vast majority are single, most come from poor, disadvantaged communities, 45 percent suffer from mental illness, and half have substance abuse problems

the VA estimates that 131,000 veterans are homeless on any given night

http://www.nchv.org/background.cfm

Is it their fault too ?
Tony

That would work if I was a liberal

What you want to do is blame all existentialist pantheists who want to return to “common law” and exist separately from the state in what was once known as the “common lands”

—- Now if you blame that group you would be at least accurate in your attempts to sling mud

Until then I will continue to try to mirror back the statements of the self identified “Christian right” and then watch them squirm out of their own statements and positions

A: thats about right. unless they lose their jobs, and need it…then its the liberals fault.

Q: do you know about flu shots?? LITTLE ANGEL2CF?
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Flu vaccine may not provide enough protection
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updated 6:34 p.m. CT, Fri., Feb. 8, 2008
WASHINGTON – The influenza vaccine given to Americans may not protect as well as expected, U.S. health officials said on Friday as the number of flu cases increased nationwide.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said slightly more than half of the influenza virus strains reported to its surveillance system are not good matches against the strains included in this flu season’s vaccine.

The number of states reporting widespread flu activity jumped to 31 this week compared with 11 a week ago, the CDC said. But Dr. Joe Bresee of the CDC’s influenza division said there are no indications this flu season is worse than usual.

Story continues below ↓
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“Seasonal flu activity was slow to start this year but has increased sharply in recent weeks,” Bresee told reporters.

One measure officials use to gauge the severity of the season is the number of flu-related child deaths. Bresee said the CDC has heard of six U.S. children who have died from the flu, a relatively low number compared with recent years.

Flu viruses mutate and change all the time, so every year a different vaccine is created as officials predict which particular strains will circulate.

The vaccine is designed to protect against three influenza strains — two from Type A, an H1N1 and an H3N2 version, and one for Type B.

Bresee said about 30 percent of the overall strains of influenza in the United States may be a Type A strain that emerged in Australia called H3N2 A/Brisbane. It emerged too late to be included in the flu vaccine offered in the United States beginning in September and October.

The Type B strain chosen for this year’s vaccine also was not a good match for most of the B virus strains seen in the United States this flu season, Bresee said.

“While a less-than-ideal virus match between the viruses in the vaccine and those circulating viruses can reduce vaccine effectiveness, we know from past influenza studies that the vaccine can still protect enough to make illness milder or prevent flu-related complications,” Bresee said.

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Bresee noted that decisions on the composition of the annual vaccine are made about nine months before it is made available to the public in the fall, and it is sometimes hard to know that far in advance which strains will circulate.

Flu vaccines take months to make.

Bresee also said some resistance is being reported to the antiviral drug Tamiflu, made by Switzerland’s Roche Holding AG and Gilead Sciences Inc of the United States. Of the viruses tested in CDC flu labs, 4.5 percent are resistant to the drug, Bresee said.

Influenza kills an estimated 36,000 Americans in an average year, and puts 200,000 into the hospital, the CDC said.

Copyright 2008 Reuters. Click for restrictions.
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A: sometimes taking a flu shots give you the flu anyhow because of the pain and the liquid that is inside of it cause some people body’s don’t like the feel of pain that they get sick from it so i personally don’t take any flu shots although they say that it is good and i don’t take any for the simple fact that i know i will get sick just by the shot alone

Q: Has Sen. Obama accomplished anything in the senate?
Here are just some of them with their bill numbers:
Of the 15 bills Senator Obama sponsored or co-sponsored in 2005-7 that became law:
Two addressed foreign policy:
Promote relief, security and democracy in the Congo (2125)
Develop democratic institutions in areas under Palestinian control (2370).
Three addressed public health:
Improve mine safety (2803)
Increased breast cancer funding (597)
Reduce preterm delivery and complications, reduce infant mortality (707).
Two addressed openness and accountability in government:
Strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (2488 )
Full disclosure of all entities receiving federal funds (2590)
Two addressed national security
Extend Terrorist Risk Insurance (467)
Amend the Patriot Act (2167)
One addressed the needs of the Armed Forces
Wave passport fees to visit graves, attend memorials/funerals of veterans abroad (1184).
Of the 570 bills Senator Obama introduced into the Senate during the 109th and 110th Congress (Senate Bill numbers are in parentheses), they can be summarized as follows:
25 addressed Energy Efficiency and Climate Change
Suspend royalty relief for oil and gas (115)
Reduce dependence on oil; use of alternative energy sources (133)
Increase fuel economy standards for cars (767, 768 )
Auto industry incentives for fuel efficient vehicles (1151)
Reduce green house gas emissions (1324)
Establish at NSF a climate change education program (1389)
Increase renewable content of gasoline (2202)
Energy emergency relief for small businesses and farms (269)
Strategic gasoline and fuel reserves (1794)
Alternative diesel standards (3554)
Coal to liquid fuel promotion (3623)
Renewable diesel standards (1920)
Reducing global warming pollution from vehicles (2555)
Fuel security and consumer choice (1994, 2025)
Alternative energy refueling system (2614)
Climate change education (1389)
Low income energy assistance (2405)
Oil savings targets (339)
Fuel economy reform (3694)
Plug-in electric drive vehicles (1617)
Nuclear release notice (2348 )
Passenger rail investment (294)
Energy relief for low income families (2405)
21 addressed Health Care
Drug re-importation (334)
Health information technology (1262, 1418 )
Discount drug prices (2347)
Health care associated infections (2278 )
Hospital quality report cards (692, 1824)
Medical error disclosure and compensation (1784)
Emergency medical care and response (1873)
Stem cell research (5)
Medical Malpractice insurance (1525)
Health centers renewal (901, 3771)
Children’s health insurance (401)
Home health care (2061)
Medicare independent living (2103)
Microbicides for HIV/AIDS (823)
Ovarian cancer biomarker research (2569)
Gynological cancers (1172)
Access to personalized medicine through use of human genome (976)
Paralysis research and care (1183)
20 addressed Public Health:
Violence against women (1197)
Biodefense and pandemic preparedness and response (1821, 1880)
Viral influenza control (969)
End homelessness (1518 )
Reduce STDs/unintended pregnancy (1790)
Smoking prevention and tobacco control (625)
Minority health improvement and disparity elimination (4024)
Nutrition and physical education in schools (2066)
Health impact assessments (1067, 2506)
Healthy communities (1068 )
Combat methamphetamines (2071)
Paid sick leave (910)
Prohibit mercury sales (833, 1818 )
Prohibit sale of lead products (1306, 2132)
Lead exposure in children (1811, 2132)
14 address Consumer Protection/Labor
Stop unfair labor practices (842)
Fair minimum wage (2, 1062, 2725, 3829)
Internet freedom (2917)
Credit card safety (2411)
Media ownership (2332)
Protecting taxpayer privacy (2484)
Working family child assistance (218 )
Habeus Corpus Restoration (185)
Bankruptcy protection for employees and retirees (2092)
FAA fair labor management dispute resolution (2201)
Working families flexibility (2419).
13 addressed the Needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces:
Improve Benefits (117)
Suicide prevention (479)
Needs of homeless veterans (1180)
Homes for veterans (1084)
GI Bill enhancement (43)
Military job protection
Dignity in care for wounded vets (713)
Housing assistance for low income veterans (1084)
Military children in public schools (2151)
Military eye injury research and care (1999)
Research physical/mental health needs from Iraq War (1271)
Proper administration of discharge for personality disorder (1817, 1885)
Security of personal data of veterans (3592)
12 addressed Congressional Ethics and Accountability
Lobbying and ethics reform (230)
Stop fraud (2280)
Legislative transparency and accountability (525)
Open government (2180, 2488 )
Restoring fiscal discipline (10)
Transparency and integrity in earmarks (2261)
Accountability of conference committee deliberations and reports (2179)
Federal funding accountability and transparency (2590)
Accounta
Of Course McCain’s would be a lot more than Sen. Obama’s. This is just to respond to the Repugnants claim that he has not done anything.

McCain had almost 30 years of chances to “CHANGE” the system, and now all of the sudden he’s the one who deliver it. C’mon let’s not fool ourselves!
Of Course McCain’s would be a lot more than Sen. Obama’s. This is just to respond to the Repugnants claim that he has not done anything.

McCain had almost 30 years of chances to “CHANGE” the system, and now all of the sudden he’s the one who can deliver it. C’mon let’s not fool ourselves!

A: Yes he has!!!

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