First Lady Responds to School Meal Critics
First Lady Michelle Obama is responding to Republicans in the House of Representatives about suggested changes to school meal standards, saying any effort to roll back the guidelines is “unacceptable.” The rules set by Congress and the administration over the last several years require more whole grains and set limits on sodium, sugar, and fat. The first lady recently met with school nutrition officials who said the guidelines are working in their schools. She asked the group for advice about how the government can better respond to schools that are struggling, and she suggested that the conversation be focused on helping those schools rather than on rolling back some of the standards completely. – ABC News/Associated Press
Michelle Obama elaborated on her opinions in a New York Times op-ed.
Australian Campaign Aims to Reduce Sodium Intake
Lithgow, located in New South Wales, Australia, recently completed the “Drop the Salt” campaign. In a population survey conducted in 2011, adults in the Lithgow region were found to be consuming sodium at twice the recommended daily level, prompting an initiative by the George Institute for Global Health to reduce sodium levels of Lithgow residents by 10%. The program is part of a nationwide initiative called Salt Swap, part of a larger campaign by the World Health Organization aimed at reducing global sodium intake by 30% before 2025. As part of the program, the George Institute is developing a salt substitute called “Salt for Life” that contains lower levels of sodium. To accompany this product, the institute is releasing an iPhone app called Foodswitch, which will provide consumers with nutritional information that they can access by scanning the barcode of food products in-store before purchase. – Lithgow Mercury
Processed Foods and Soft Drinks Are Increasing Asian Sodium, Fat, and Sugar Consumption
Developing countries in Asia may be set to join the obesity epidemic in developed countries, according to a study of nutrition across 12 nations published in the journal Obesity Reviews. The study found that throughout Asia, baked goods, vegetable oils, and soft drinks were the main carriers of salt, fat, and sugar, respectively. The study uncovered differences among 12 Asian countries of varied income levels and identified the food groups driving the increases in undesirable nutrients in each country. In contrast to earlier studies, which used data from food surveys, the researchers used sales data from the food industry, which allowed for standardized comparisons between countries. – Medical Xpress