STRATEGIC ALLIANCE NEWSLETTER

July 2005

Welcome to the latest newsletter from the Strategic Alliance. In this issue, we offer:

• Updates on the Taking Action Recommendations and their reflection in the Governor’s Vision for a healthy California.
• Suggestions for ways that you can join in the statewide movement for healthy eating and activity environments in preparation for the Governor’s Summit on Obesity.
• Information for the Federal Trade Commissions workshop on marketing to children, including the testimony provided by the Strategic Alliance.
• And much more!

Governor’s Vision for California Reflects Taking Action Recommendations

Thank you for all your efforts in helping to support Taking Action for a Healthier California: Recommendations to Improve Healthy Food and Activity Options. Taking Action presents a clear and compelling agenda for making our schools, neighborhoods, cities and state healthier places to live and work. The Strategic Alliance has already won a considerable victory: the 10 steps outlined in the Governor’s “A Vision for California—10 Steps for Healthy Living” mirror the majority of the top ten recommendations outlined in Taking Action. Now is the time to extend our influence even further and take advantage of the Governor’s clear interest in improving nutrition and physical activity. We urge you all to take action on your own and to follow the recommendations outlined below.

Mobilizing for Statewide Action in Preparation for the Governor’s Summit

With the Governor’s Summit on Health, Nutrition and Obesity scheduled for September 15, 2005, we have an unprecedented opportunity to join with leaders and experts from the business, transportation, education, government, and public health communities to make reforms that will improve California's health and well-being. Your continued support is needed as we mobilize around the state to promote a unified message to the policymakers and Governor Schwarzenegger about the support needed on a local level to promote health eating and activity options and decrease chronic disease in neighborhoods across California. Here’s what you can do as a member of the Strategic Alliance:

1. Endorse and disseminate Taking Action for a Healthier California: Recommendations to Improve Healthy Food and Activity Options. Taking Action presents a clear and compelling agenda for making our schools, neighborhoods, cities and state healthier places to live and work. To endorse Taking Action, please visit the website and encourage other to do so as well.

2. Act locally in collaboration with other groups and coalitions to adopt and implement one specific Taking Action Recommendation in your own community.

3. Influence media coverage of the Summit. Contact local media and highlight policy and community-based efforts in your area that have improved the environments where you live, work, and play. You can also receive talking points from the Strategic Alliance by contacting Sana, sana@preventioninstitute.org

4. Share local examples of government, businesses, employers and schools that have instituted policies similar to those outlined in Taking Action. We will make these examples available to all SA members through our website. Examples may be emailed to Jasmine at jasmine@preventioninstitute.org

Federal Trade Commission: Offer Your Testimony on Marketing to Children

The Federal Trade Commission has convened a two-day workshop on marketing, industry self-regulation, and childhood obesity scheduled for July 14-15. The period for public comment has been extended to July 29th. In a recent article on Adage.com, the Center for Informed Choices described the food industry’s effort at self-regulation as "a 30-year experiment that has utterly failed". Not surprisingly, marketers and industry representatives counter this claim that government intervention is necessary. The current public commentary displays a strong and unified response from members of the food industry. It is important to send an equally strong and clear message that parents in particular recognize that the tireless targeting of children with messages for unhealthy food and beverage products makes it harder for them to instill healthy eating and activity habits in their children. Please take the time to submit your own comment about the impact of advertising on children; we offer an excerpt of the Alliance testimony below. For more information on submitting a comment, visit this site.

Federal Trade Commission:
Strategic Alliance Testimony on Marketing to Children

The Alliance believes that the following recommendations should be undertaken to mitigate the harm that marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages poses to children.

• Recommendation One: Establish digital advertising and marketing standards and regulations that protect children;
• Recommendation Two: Apply federal human subjects regulations to market research;
• Recommendation Three: Eliminate all advertising and promotion of unhealthy foods and beverages to children and youth.

View the full testimony submitted by the Strategic Alliance.

IN THE NEWS

Physical Activity Recommendations for School-age Youth published in the June issue of The Journal of Pediatrics

The June issue of The Journal of Pediatrics features evidence-based physical activity recommendations for school-age youth recently developed by an expert panel. The review concluded that school-age youth should participate in 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day through a variety of enjoyable and developmentally appropriate activities. These recommendations reflect presently available scientific evidence and are in general agreement with recommendations promoted by governmental agencies and professional organizations. Read the article

Panel OKs Santa Clara Open Space Assessment

A special assessment designed to raise $8 million annually from property owners in Santa Clara County was approved on July 8th. Designed to benefit the entire community through the purchase of open space, this is a significant victory for open space and physical activity advocates alike.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Senator Tom Harkin calls for FTC to report on industry’s marketing to kids

“The current industry efforts to limit junk food marketing directed at children are woefully inadequate,” proclaimed Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, as he announced recently that his proposal directing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to report on the food industry’s marketing activities and expenditures target toward children and adolescents, has been approved by the Senate Commerce, Justice and State Appropriations Subcommittee. Both the House and Senate must approve the measure before it becomes law.

The Harkin provision would require that the FTC submit a report to the Committee by July 1, 2006, documenting food industry marketing activities and expenditures targeted toward children and adolescents. The report should include an analysis of commercial advertising time on television, radio, and in print media; in-store marketing; direct payments for preferential shelf placement; events; promotions on packaging; all Internet activities; and product placement in television shows, movies, and video games.

School Board and Governor Support Healthy Food and Drink in Schools

SB 12 and SB 965, the School Food Nutrition Standards and School Beverages Standards Bills are both moving forward with great momentum. The bills moved out of the Assembly Education and Health Committees within the last week. As these bills move to the Assembly floor in mid-August, it is important to voice your opinion as a voter and advocate for nutrition about the impact of these bills on the school food environment. Co-sponsors for the bills now include the California School Board Association and Governor Schwarzenegger. Both bills have received bi-partisan support. SB 12’s nutrition standards are amongst strictest school food regulations in the country! For more information, visit http://www.publichealthadvocacy.org/legislation/index.html.

RESOURCES

2.9 Million Low-Income Adults Struggling to Put Food on the Table in California

UCLA’s Center for Health Policy research has published the latest assessment of food insecurity among low-income Californians. The report documents the plight of 2.9 million Californians struggling to put food on the table. Based on the comprehensive California Health Interview Survey, the food insecurity report provides estimates of changes in food insecurity and hunger rates from 2001-2003 by county, ethnicity and other demographics. The report also contains recommendations for policymakers on steps to reduce hunger and food insecurity.

For more details:
http://www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu/food_insecurity_05.html
http://www.cfpa.net/press/

Activity and Food (LEAF) program is now available on the Center for Weight and Health website

The first in a series of reports on the evaluation of the Linking Education, Activity and Food program, the executive summary and full report including the fiscal impact of LEAF, can be viewed and downloaded at http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/cwh/activities/LEAF.shtml

New UC Berkeley report says schools can improve nutritional value of food offerings without sacrificing revenue

The findings, released by UC Berkeley's Center for Weight and Health, provide encouraging news to school officials concerned about the budgetary hit they might take if they eliminate junk food from school grounds.

"Our results show that when kids have less access to high fat, high sugar snack foods and beverages, they will switch to healthier meals," said Patricia Crawford, co-director of UC Berkeley's Center for Weight and Health and co-author of the report. "This trend can benefit the students' health as well as the school food service department's bottom line." For more information, please visit http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/cwh/activities/LEAF.shtml

WHAT IS THE STRATEGIC ALLIANCE?

The Strategic Alliance is reframing the debate on nutrition and physical activity away from a focus on individual choice and lifestyle towards one of environment and corporate and government responsibility. Current Steering Committee members are: California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit), California Center for Public Health Advocacy, California Food Policy Advocates, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, California Parks and Recreation Society, California Project LEAN, California WIC Association, Child Care Food Program Roundtable, Latino Health Access, Prevention Institute, Samuels & Associates and YMCA of the East Bay.

HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER

The Strategic Alliance is currently engaged in building a broad and diverse statewide membership. To join or for more information, please visit us on the Web, eatbettermovemore.org, or contact Sana Chehimi at 510.444.7738 or Sana@preventioninstitute.org. And even if you're already a member, please forward this message on to your colleagues so we can continue to strengthen our coalition. Thank you!

The Strategic Alliance is supported by funding from The California Endowment.

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