Childhood obesity rates in the United States have tripled, according to a new study by the Academic Pediatrics journal.

Using data collected by the National Health and Nutrition Survey, researchers looked at 12,384 children aged from 2 to 19 years, and were able to conclude that found that 3.8 percent of the children within the sample meet the criteria for "severe obesity."

Generalized to the entire childhood population of the United States, this could mean that *nearly 2.7 million* American children are severely obese.

Compared to data collected in between 1976 and 1980, the researchers found that the prevalence of severely obese children has essentially tripled in the last 25 years. Back then, only 0.8 percent of children met the criteria for severe obesity.

Among the groups that had the largest increases in severe obesity were children in families that are below the poverty level.

The study provides more evidence for the need of an improved Child Nutrition Act.

The findings in Academic Pediatrics show the need to ensure that healthy and nutritious school meals are available to our nation's children. Currently, there are far too many processed foods with even fewer nutrients in our school cafeteria menus. While the study concludes that more children need to be treated for obesity, we know that it's also important to prevent obesity in the first place, and that's exactly what good school meals can do.

But more importantly, the study also shows a huge need to improve accessibility for these programs. Currently, there are barriers to entry to the school meal program, and reducing them would be an excellent way to ensure that more children - especially those in need - are better able to access the nutritious and wholesome meals that this study shows they need.

Improving the Child Nutrition Act this fall is a priority for SEIU, its members, and the children that our members serve each and every day. You can read more about this at one of our sister sites, the Campaign for Quality Services.

Leslie Williams, a school food service worker, has been at the job for 20 years.

When she talks about her job, she lovingly refers to the children as "her babies." They rely on her to take care of them and cook them a wholesome meal during lunch. Sometimes, it's the only hot meal that they get that day.

"You know some of these children aren't going to get another meal until they come back in on Monday, and that's the hardest part of all," she says.

I had the pleasure of meeting Leslie just the other week, when she was in town for our Lobby Day, where she talked to Congress about the need to improve the Child Nutrition Act.

I was moved by her dedication and commitment to her job - and, even more, to the children that she serves. She speaks with a passion, whether she's talking about cooking, ensuring that every child is fed, or when she has a thought on how to improve school meals.

I wanted to share this video with you - it's from the conversation that we shared - because I feel that we have much to learn from her.

Here's the video:

You can help Leslie improve the Child Nutrition Act by writing a letter to Congress here: http://action.seiu.org/page/speakout/nutritionact.

With a future body count guaranteed to make it a horror film classic, the new California state budget approved by legislators on Friday puts an end to the endless "debate" that's been causing debilitating migraines even in those who don't suffer them.

But the pain is far from over. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his band of loyal lawmakers proved they're no 'girlie-men' with the budget cuts by taking healthcare from the sick and frail and every kind of care from the elderly; by closing schools so kids have nowhere to learn, and after-school programs so they have nowhere else to go. They closed the deficit by privatizing public services and throwing public servants under the bus, while taking money with impudence from those who remain. And if you thought these outcomes were shocking, here's the most shocking thing of all: CA lawmakers managed all of this without taxing corporations one single additional dime.

And no doubt the heads of those corporations will be spending this glorious, victorious weekend with Governor Arnold in his hot tub, smoking their cigars.

The difference
Rapid action by members of SEIU Local 1021, Local 1000 and all the California locals, together with the communities they serve, prevented the outcome of the budget deal from being much worse. "While we don't like the outcome [of this budget], had we not gotten involved it would have been much worse," said SEIU executive vice president Eliseo Medina.

Working closely in collaboration with communities and allies, scores of public events were held all over the state that put a human face on the cuts to home care, health care, CalWORKS, schools, and other public services. All together, SEIU members made 40,000 calls to the Governor and legislators, took part in 400-plus lobby days and sent 100,000 petitions and postcards. The most dramatic difference these efforts made is that new revenues are finally on the table and, against the odds, even made it into the Conference Committee budget. And more significantly, SEIU members, CA activists and allies helped scale back (and lessen in severity) the Governor's worst cuts:

• Home care: In-home Supportive Services (IHSS) will be cut by 20 percent instead of 90 percent.
  
• CalWORKS will be cut 40 percent instead of eliminated entirely.
  
• Healthy Families: The Governor wanted to eliminate the program entirely - instead, it was cut by 50 percent.
  
• Education: Despite deep cuts to education, Proposition 98 was not suspended and legislative safeguards on school outsourcing were protected.
  
• State workers: Workers' pensions and health care were protected, and a fourth furlough day has not been issued like Governor Schwarzenegger threatened.

As California confronts severe budget difficulties in coming months, the war of words, lobby days and public actions are far from over. Middle-class families will continue to challenge state leaders to provide a common sense, balanced approach--even when it requires that our leaders have the courage to stand up to powerful corporate interests. More news and reports on the CA budget can be found from Rough & Tumble and California Budget Project.

Thanks to SEIU Local 1021 for this budget update.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is using her clout to back legislation that would make school lunches healthier. Among her ideas is to increase the federal reimbursement rate for the National School Lunch Program, which currently stands at $2.68 for a free lunch.

With school districts facing budget cuts all over the country, it's more important than ever to ensure that there's enough money and resources available to provide children with well-balanced and wholesome school meals. Increasing the federal reimbursement rate for meals would enable schools to cover the rising costs of meeting dietary guidelines and to purchase fresh, healthy foods.

Senator Gillibrand agrees, says that by increasing the federal reimbursement rate, schools will be able to provide more nutritious meals.

Here's what Senator Gillibrand said to Buffalo's WNED:

"This is an investment. I think making sure that our children don't become obese, and don't become obese adults and cost our healthcare system $500 billion a year is a very important priority."

Gillibrand "is also proposing legislation that would ban trans fats in school lunches" and "would reduce the amount of junk goods and snacks available in schools."

You can support an improved Child Nutrition Act - which is set to expire this fall - by writing a letter to your member of Congress: http://action.seiu.org/page/speakout/nutritionact

Yesterday, Service Workers United cafeteria workers from across the country went to Capitol Hill to lobby members of Congress for stronger USDA Child Nutrition Programs. One member of the group was Marlon Taylor, a food service worker from suburban Illinois. Here, Marlon discusses why he loves his job working with kids and why it's important to improve the Child Nutrition Act.

Last year in the U.S., a record 20 million subsidized school lunches were served each day. In Illinois, Taylor's home state, there were 713,755 free or reduced-price lunches served during the 2007-2008 school year alone.

Earlier this month, the agriculture appropriations committees in both chambers of Congress agreed to spend an additional $13 billion this year on nutrition programs. However, exactly how much of that will be allocated towards improving the quality and nutritional value of the food served to children in public schools remains up in the air.

Congress is scheduled to take up the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act this fall--which is why now is the time to lend your voice to tell Congress we need an improved Child Nutrition Act: http://action.seiu.org/page/speakout/nutritionact

During the school year in New Jersey, school lunch is provided at a reduced cost or for free to thousands of poor students to help eliminate at least one significant and widely recognized barrier to an education: hunger. The number of students qualifying for free and reduced-price lunches was up about 5 percent nationwide this spring, to nearly 19.4 million from 18.4 million the previous year, according to federal officials. These numbers were reflected in New Jersey's numbers as the number of NJ students receiving free and lower-cost lunches grew by 11 percent to over 340,000 during the 2008-2009 school year.

The economic downturn has left many families barely able to put food on the table, and school meals have been reported as a critical source of family food and nutrition for millions of America's children. But what happens to these children of low-income families when school lets out for the summer--do they just go without breakfast and lunch until September?

Thanks to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service Program, the answer to this question is 'no.' Across the state of New Jersey, camps and food pantries have geared up to meet an increasing need for more feeding locations.

Five thousand family child care providers who participate in the state's child care subsidy program have settled a historic first contract with the Governor's Office and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). Kids First Maryland/SEIU Local 500 child care providers voted by a margin of more than 30-to-1 to ratify their first contract. After 14 months of negotiations, providers won a nearly three-percent increase in the state subsidy, access to decision-making committees, and the creation of a new Training Committee of state officials and child care providers to recommend future improvements.

"Today the workers who help raise and educate Maryland's most vulnerable children have taken a significant step toward gaining a seat at the table, where they can advocate for themselves and the children in their care - this is a win for providers and families," said Merle Cuttitta, President of SEIU Local 500. The majority of parents receiving state subsidies for their children's care are single mothers entering the workforce or gaining an education through welfare-to-work programs. They are concentrated in Maryland's most underserved communities.

There remains much to be done to mend a system that for too long has pushed quality in-home child care providers out of business. The number of family child care homes in Maryland dropped by 26 percent between 1997 and 2007, due in part to staggeringly low subsidy rates and lack of provider access to affordable health insurance and other benefits. The contract creates additional avenues for addressing these issues, including the creation of a joint committee of state officials and union providers to further explore health care coverage options for family child care providers.

Still, provider-leaders are savoring the victory which they believe is a crucial milestone on their path to the professional respect and fair compensation that they deserve. "We hung in there; it's been more than four years. We're really teaching a great lesson to the children in our care: you work hard and stick with it, and you can accomplish anything," said Crystal Barksdale, Kids First Maryland leader and family child care provider in Baltimore County.

« Read a letter from the bargaining team & contract highlights.
« Learn more about SEIU Kids First

According to the most recent estimates from the Census Bureau, 8.6 million children in the United States lacked health coverage in 2007. Last year, Congress debated and passed two pieces of bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which would have reduced the number of uninsured children by almost half and expanded health coverage throughout the nation to as many as 4 million additional uninsured children. President Bush vetoed both bills.

According to Families USA, the vast majority of uninsured children come from families where at least one parent works (88.2 percent), and more than two-thirds of uninsured children--or 68.5 percent--live in households where at least one family member works full-time, year-round. And more than half of the nation's uninsured children come from low-income families with incomes below twice the poverty level, who are likely eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP.

So although the Bush Administration proclaimed it would "leave no child behind" when it comes to education, 8.6 million American children - a majority of whom are from working families - are being left behind because they lack health coverage. "The sad reality is that kids who don't have health insurance are far more likely to get sidetracked--right at the beginning of their lives--because their families can't afford quality care," said SEIU Healthcare chair Dennis Rivera.

During the current economic downturn as working families are struggling to make ends meet, no one should have to choose between health care for their kids and making a mortgage or rent payment. Hopefully, things will be looking up for the nation's uninsured children in the near future, as the new Administration and president-elect Barack Obama are widely expected to push for eligibility expansions for SCHIP, which is up for reauthorization anyway in the spring.

Rising Tide of Support for SCHIP

Two-thirds of the public (82 percent) supports SCHIP renewal and extending children's health benefits to legal immigrant children, according to a poll released yesterday by child advocacy group First Focus. Key poll results also show that 67 percent of respondents favored eliminating the five-year waiting period for legal immigrant children, while 19 percent were opposed. [SCHIP is not available to legal immigrants during their first five years in the country, with the exception of those living in states that use state funds to cover legal immigrants who qualify.]

Senators Harry Reid (D-NV) and Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) hailed the poll as evidence of the nation's broad, bipartisan support for renewal of the SCHIP program, which expires in March, 2009.

Senator Harry Reid at the announcement:

"The findings announced today confirmed what we knew over a year ago - Americans support providing children with health care coverage and they understand the importance of removing the five-year waiting period for coverage for legal immigrant children and pregnant women."

Senator Rockefeller:

"I look forward to working with President-elect Obama and the Congressional leadership to quickly reauthorize CHIP so that millions of uninsured children - including legal immigrant children - receive the health coverage they need."

Poll respondents favored expanding SCHIP by a margin of 79-15 to ensure that all children in America, including legal immigrant children, have health care coverage.

"In the debate of 2007, Republicans used the coverage of legal immigrant children against expanding the children's health insurance program," said First Focus spokesperson Christopher Spina to CQ yesterday. "We clearly now see a mandate among the American people."

More findings from the First Focus poll.