[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 129 (Thursday, July 31, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1629-E1630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




THE BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION FOR OUR NATION'S CHILDREN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 30, 2008

  Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Miller 
for his continued commitment to comprehensive education and ensuring 
that all children have access to the resources that will help them 
become healthy and productive adults. I would also like to thank my 
friends Congressman Ron Kind and Congressman Zach Wamp for their 
persistence in encouraging healthier lifestyles and choices for our 
nation's youth.
  The problem of childhood obesity is well-documented, and we are all 
familiar with the statistics: 32 percent of the nation's children are 
overweight, 16 percent are obese, and the Department of Health and 
Human Services estimates that the figure will exceed 20 percent by 
2010. ``Adult onset'' diabetes has become a misnomer: incidence of type 
II has doubled in youth. As computers, cell phones, video game systems, 
and other types of technology become more prevalent in America's homes, 
children are redefining ``recreation'' away from physical activity and 
toward sedentary activities.
  Responses to this epidemic abound, and they need to be supported and 
enhanced. Youth need more regular physical activity, parents must make 
healthier decisions regarding family diet, exposure to technology must 
be monitored and regulated, and nutrition education must be a component 
of elementary and middle school curricula.
  At the same time, however, I believe if we are to combat this problem 
effectively we must also understand and address the causes of the 
problem. One of the causes that particularly distresses me, and one 
that receives relatively little attention, is the aggressive and 
predatory marketing of food and beverages to children and adolescents.
  In 2006 the Institute of Medicine reported that it is estimated that 
more than $10 billion annually is spent marketing food and beverages to 
youth; the vast majority of that money is spent marketing items with 
marginal or no nutritive value. Do they get a bang for the buck? Food 
and beverage sales to children and youth exceed $27 billion annually. 
They wouldn't do it if it didn't work.

[[Page E1630]]

  While television remains the most popular medium for marketing, food 
and beverage companies have been industrious, to say the least, in 
creating new means to market their products and create branding 
opportunities. Product placement in movies, video games, music videos, 
and even news broadcasts ensure exposure to brands and products despite 
best efforts to avoid commercials and print advertisements. Banner and 
pop-up advertisements on the internet intrude on children's surfing 
routinely, despite the best software protections. Sponsorship at school 
sporting events, advertisements in school newspapers and in prepackaged 
media, and snacks in vending machines ensure that children are exposed 
to products and brands throughout the school day. We are fast 
approaching the day, if we aren't there already, when children find 
respite from food and beverage marketing only as they close their eyes 
to sleep.
  This is not harmless advertising. Food and beverage marketing uses 
the best research available about brain development to ensure that 
their products are exposed to minds not yet fully developed. Again the 
Institute of Medicine reports that research tells us that humans 
develop consumption motives and values at an early age. In other words, 
developing brand allegiances early in life is profitable. The report 
also tells us that children have widely varied abilities to separate 
factual information from persuasive content and those abilities develop 
at different ages. In other words, it is easy to convince children that 
a product is healthy.
  I firmly believe that if we are to help our children cultivate 
healthier lifestyle habits and make better nutrition choices, we must 
protect them from marketing practices whose primary function is to 
encourage increased consumption of unhealthy products. Any policy 
response to the youth obesity epidemic must include concrete ways to 
regulate the exposure of children and adolescents to food and beverage 
marketing.

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