[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 83 (Friday, May 30, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E891]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       FIT FOR LIFE INTRODUCTION

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. MARCIA L. FUDGE

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 30, 2014

  Ms. FUDGE. Mr. Speaker, May is Health and Fitness Month, a critical 
time to encourage our communities to live healthier lives. It is also 
an appropriate time to highlight an issue that, in recent years, has 
greatly impacted the physical and economic health of our country.
  Nearly one third of all children in this country are overweight or 
obese--a rate that has tripled over the past fifty years. Largely due 
to obesity and obesity-related diseases, this is the first generation 
of Americans that are likely to be less healthy and have shorter life 
expectancies than their parents.
  Though this is a nationwide epidemic, childhood obesity 
disproportionately affects low-income and minority populations. Earlier 
this year, scientists touted some significant progress in the fight 
against childhood obesity among the youngest children, however, African 
American and Hispanic Children experienced a smaller reduction in 
obesity rates and remain three and five times more likely than 
Caucasian children to be obese.
  To address this troubling epidemic, I introduced the Fit for Life Act 
of 2014, which increases access to healthy foods, expands prevention 
and treatment options for low-income children, and increases 
opportunities for physical activity for our youth. Further, this 
critical legislation supports mobile healthy food programs, broadens 
access to healthy foods for children in child care, increases coverage 
for obesity prevention and treatment options for low-income children, 
and expands opportunities to take part in joint use agreements, opening 
existing facilities in low-income areas to community use.
  This country cannot afford for our children to continue to feed into 
the cycle of obesity. We must begin to aggressively combat this 
epidemic before it puts more of our children at risk.
  I encourage my colleagues to stand with me in this fight and 
cosponsor the Fit for Life Act.

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