The USDA Food Stamp Program and Childhood Obesity An.pdfVIP

Forum on Public Policy The USDA Food Stamp Program and Childhood Obesity: An Innovative Approach Joyce Lynn Terrell, Director of Sports Medicine / Adjunct Instructor, Spelman College Disclaimer: The Food Moderation Program will not eradicate the obesity problem due to its limited consumer base . Abstract The USDA Food Stamp Program and Childhood Obesity: An Innovative Approach This white paper is a response to the Oxford Roundtable Committees’ call for papers which address “current thinking and explore modern methods of remediation and treatment” of persistent and difficult health problems worldwide…moderating unsuitable eating habits being one of these. The Food Moderation Program a theoretical concept examines implementing policy that would moderate the quantity of select foods (e.g. soda, sweetened cereals, confectionaries) United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food stamp recipients would be allowed to purchase in a monthly buying cycle. The need for exploration of this concept is defined in the statistics on obesity, a disease that is “expected to soon overtake cigarette smoking” as the number one cause of preventable death in America. 1 The idea of moderating or limiting the USDA food stamp recipients’ purchase power at first glance, may appear to be controversial, yet, moderating one’s consumption of nutrient poor foods and encouraging purchase of healthier foods promotes a more nutritiously sound diet and the promise for a better quality of life. It is hoped that the Food Moderation concept will become an innovative approach to abating the obesity epidemic and possibly a promising practice in obesity prevention. However, acceptance of this approach requires one to look beyond bureaucratic challenge and the financial investment for techno