Princess Health and Agriculture commissioner visits six counties to promote local food, better nutrition in school lunches.Princessiccia

Princess Health and Agriculture commissioner visits six counties to promote local food, better nutrition in school lunches.Princessiccia

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Gusty 11:15 Add Comment

State Sen. David Givens, R-Greensburg, watches
as Commissioner James Comer speaks at Green
County High School.(Greensburg Record-Herald)

To encourage child nutrition and healthier school lunches, state Agriculture Commissioner James Comer visited six Kentucky school districts earlier this week. He met with school boards in Owsley, Jackson, Knox, Marion and Metcalfe counties, and visited Green County High School, according to a news release from his office.

Many Kentucky children consume more than half of their daily calories at schools. During a typical school day, 4 in 10 American students buy and eat snack foods and drinks, the Pew Health Group found. More than 23 million children and teens in the U.S. are overweight or obese.

"Children who are overweight and obese are at greater risk of chronic ailments that can damage their quality of life and even shorten their lives," Comer said. "Schools can help students eat better, but many schools simply don't have the resources, the equipment or the training necessary to serve healthy meals on a consistent basis. I want to talk to local leaders about how the Kentucky Department of Agriculture can help."

"Just a small amount of money would enable many school districts to make healthy and nutritious foods available to their students," he said. "The KDA can help these schools wade through federal bureaucracy and find the necessary funding. We can also help with our Farm-to-School Program, which connects schools with local producers who can provide fresh Kentucky Proud foods. That's food for our kids, and it helps local farmers make a living." (Read more)

Princess Health and HBO's 'Weight of the Nation' examines the obesity epidemic.Princessiccia

Princess Health and HBO's 'Weight of the Nation' examines the obesity epidemic.Princessiccia

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Gusty 11:33 Add Comment

A compelling four-part documentary delving into the obesity epidemic sweeping the country is being aired on HBO and can be watched free by clicking here. A reporter wanting to write a series of stories on the issue would find "weight of the Nation" a good reference.

The program is divided into four parts. The first segment, "Consequences," looks at the scope of the epidemic and the ramifications of being overweight or obese. "Choices" looks at the science behind how to lose weight, how to maintain weight loss and prevent weight gain. The third part, "Children in Crisis," looks at how the problem is affecting American children, exploring the decline of physical activity, school lunch, the demise of school recess and how marketing of unhealthy food targets children. The final segment, "Challenges," looks at the major forces driving obesity, including agriculture, economics, evolutionary biology, food marketing, racial and socioeconomic disparities, physical inactivity, American food culture, and the influence of the food and beverage industries.

The documentary is on a detailed website that answers questions that range from "What is obesity?" to "How do I know if I'm overweight or obese?"

The project is a presentation of HBO and the Institute of Medicine in association with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, with support from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation and health insurer Kaiser Permanente.