WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Cory Booker(D-NJ) has introduced the Reducing Obesity in Youth Act(ROYA), which would support the health and well-being of young people by encouraging local partnerships and best practices that directly target populations with the highest childhood obesity rates.  The bill is cosponsored by Sens. Chris Coons, (D-DL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Bill Nelson (D-FL).

“Research has shown that early childhood is a critical time for developing healthy dietary and physical activity behavioral habits. The Reducing Obesity in Youth Act builds on an effective CDC program by establishing grants for local communities to develop early childhood healthy eating programs, because to help our young people lead healthy lifestyles for their entire lives, we must get kids off to a healthy start early in life,” Booker said. “Healthy eating can improve a child’s learning ability and potentially lead to higher academic performance, along with improving his or her mental, social, and physical well-being and contributing to increased self-esteem.”

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that a third of children who were overweight in kindergarten were obese by eighth grade. Almost every child who was very obese remained that way, suggesting that efforts must start much earlier and focus more on the children at greatest risk. Children who are exposed to healthy foods early are more likely to prefer and eat healthy foods and to develop eating habits that promote healthy growth that can continue throughout childhood.

Specifically, ROYA 

·         promotes healthy eating and physical activity by allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award 5-year competitive grants to local entities to assist in the development of healthier early care and education environments. 

·         integrates the promotion of healthy eating (including early feeding best practices), physical activity, and screen time reduction into existing early care and education State programs by requiring local grantees to use grant funding to provide training, technical assistance, and resources to implementing partners.

·         encourages collaboration focused on local results by requiring the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to use a portion of the funding provided through the legislation to enter into contracts with institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, or other entities with relevant monitoring and surveillance expertise to track State progress in obesity prevention policies and practices of early care and education programs.

Daily physical activity is not only essential for healthy weight maintenance, but also for practicing and learning fundamental gross motor skills and socioemotional and cognitive skills. When children have the opportunity for adequate physical activity, they benefit physically, psychologically and socially.

“More than one in three children and adolescents are obese or overweight. In order to avoid the lifelong health impacts associated with these conditions we must intervene in the early years, when children develop nutrition and activity habits.  Senator Booker understands this and we applaud him for introducing legislation that builds upon the pioneering work of Nemours and our many partners to incorporate obesity prevention initiatives in early care and education settings,” said Roy Proujansky, Executive Vice President  and Chief Executive of Nemours Delaware Valley Operations.

"My daughter enjoyed the healthier choices being offered at her preschool. During my child's time at Head Start I noticed she chose to try more fruits and vegetables at home," said Sherri Shakes, a mother from Camden. Her daughter attends a Head Start program that is currently participating in a healthy eating initiative that could be supported by this grant.

ROYA is endorsed by Nemours, The American Heart Association, Child Care Aware®, Prevention Institute, and Center for Science in the Public Interest.