Ask the Task Force on Childhood Obesity to Promote Vegan Food in Schools

• Children's Health • • Obesity • Mar 25, 10

The Task Force on Childhood Obesity, which was established last month by the Obama administration, will guide federal agencies in the creation of a national plan to solve the childhood obesity problem within one generation. The task force is now asking the public to submit comments, so here’s your chance to remind the federal government that kids would be healthier if they ate less meat, eggs, and dairy products and more nourishing vegan meals.
We want to make sure that the task force knows that more and more American kids are obese in large part because of all the chicken nuggets, burgers, and fish sticks that they are served in school cafeterias. Vegans are, on average, significantly slimmer than meat- and dairy-eaters. A well-rounded vegan diet gives children all the protein, calcium, and vitamins that they need to be strong and healthy without all the saturated fat and cholesterol that are found in animal-derived products. According to the American Dietetic Association, well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets are appropriate for all ages and slash the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.

The Task Force on Childhood Obesity should note the growing popularity of the Meat-Free Monday program in schools and urge all school districts to offer exclusively vegan meals to students on Mondays, in addition to increasing the availability of delicious vegan food during the rest of the week.

Also, because of the lobbying efforts of the politically powerful meat, dairy, and egg industries, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National School Lunch Program (NSLP) has become a dumping ground for surplus animal products. As a result, students are being served meals that are heavy in saturated fat and cholesterol. All these chicken nuggets, cheese sandwiches, and beef tacos are major contributors to America’s childhood obesity epidemic as well as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Please submit polite, helpful comments to the task force. Remind them of the link between childhood obesity and the consumption of meat, eggs, and dairy products and ask them to include the following in their national action plan:

Implement the Meat-Free Monday program at all schools. Baltimore City Schools and many other school districts across the country have already joined this program with tremendous success.

Dramatically reduce the USDA’s purchase of meat, eggs, and dairy products for the NSLP and replace them with healthy vegetarian foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, veggie burgers, faux-chicken patties, and more.

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PETA
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