NASBE Supports First Lady Michelle Obama in Fight Against Childhood Obesity

ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE), a longtime leader in the fight against childhood obesity through better education policy, applauds First Lady Michele Obama as she launches her own campaign against this national epidemic.

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"We are proud to support this new initiative by the First Lady. The visibility and resources it brings is a very welcome addition to the fight against childhood obesity. Too often, children's health gets lost in the discussion of what meets the standard of a critical need for students' educational success. Childhood obesity is a serious problem in our schools and communities that can lead to a host of physical and emotional health issues, including diabetes, asthma, and low self-esteem, that can have a negative impact on a student's time in school," said NASBE Executive Director Brenda Welburn.

"If we can improve children's health, then we can improve their futures. That not only helps their chances for success, but it also affects everything from our national economy and the amount of monies spent treating preventable disorders to the fitness of our military, where nearly 75 percent of all young people do not qualify for service because of low academic achievement or they are overweight."

NASBE works with state boards of education nationwide to develop policies followed by schools and local districts in their states. Through grant opportunities, capacity building assistance, partnerships, and conferences, NASBE experts support state boards and departments of education as they develop and implement physical activity and nutrition policies that ensure healthy school environments that provide opportunities for all students to be active and have access to healthy food.

Through the past decade, NASBE has developed many resources for state and local education leaders, including healthy eating and physical activity policy manuals, obesity prevention guides, model policies, and a national health policy database. The association has also devoted two issues of its journal, the State Education Standard, to the fight against childhood obesity. For more on NASBE's efforts in the fight against childhood obesity, go to the Obesity Prevention page on our web site.

The National Association of State Boards of Education represents America's state and territorial boards of education. NASBE exists to strengthen State Boards as the preeminent educational policymaking bodies for citizens and students. For more, visit www.nasbe.org. NASBE's anti-obesity work is also supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

SOURCE National Association of State Boards of Education

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