just say no...more!

EDUCATION WEEK LIVE WEB CHAT TODAY:

RESPONDING TO CHILDHOOD OBESITY THROUGH SCHOOL POLICY

Join us this afternoon, July 29, from 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m., ET, for a live Web chat on school efforts to promote student health.

http://www.edweek-chat.org

Childhood obesity is quickly becoming an epidemic in the United States, with the rate of overweight children and adolescents nearly tripling in the past 20 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As the nation's children grow heavier, policymakers, health officials, and interest groups are pressuring schools to provide students with healthier meals and snacks and more time for physical activity during the school day.

Fewer than 35 percent of students today attend daily physical activity classes, and most schools don't require physical education, the CDC reports. At the same time, the federal agency says, half of all districts have a contract that gives a company the rights to sell soft drinks in schools. Some states have already moved to limit the sale of candy and soda in schools, but asking schools to give up the lucrative vending deals offered by companies such as Coca Cola is no small matter. Our panel of expert guests will address your questions on these and other pressing school health issues.


Guests:
* Rep. Sean Faircloth is a Democrat in the Maine House of Representatives who has sponsored comprehensive legislation to help the state's schools address childhood obesity.

* Sarah Lee is the physical activity health scientist in the division of adolescent & school health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

* Jane Mandell is a senior nutritionist in analysis, nutrition, and evaluation with the Food and Nutrition Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Please join us for this important discussion:

http://www.edweek-chat.org