By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Ausitn, TX – The "Texas Healthy Schools Kids Act," legislation to implement a statewide coordinated approach to school students' health through physical activity, good nutrition, prevention of tobacco use and recreation, was introduced today by Sen. Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso) and Rep. Arlene Wohlgemuth (R-Burleson) at a press conference at the capitol.
Officials of the American Heart Association joined the two legislators in what one representative said is an effort to reach children and improve their health and "prevent them from super-sizing their lives away."
In explaining his legislation, SB 343, Shapleigh said tremendous health costs are being spread out among Texas taxpayers because children become obese at an early age because of poor lifestyle and eating habits and require long-term health care as a result. He said 30 percent of children are overweight or at risk of becoming so.
"We are filing this act to raise Texas standards to those of several other states," he said. The El Paso Democrat said the bill supports physical education for middle school students as well as in elementary schools, creates the Obesity Prevention Coordination Council to implement academic-based physical activity, and provides a coordinated effort aimed at improving children's health. It will also use existing funds to put nurses in the most needy schools to help children acquire healthy habits early on.
Wohlgemuth said there is a lot of talk about preventive medicine and she called this bill "the ultimate" in preventive medicine. She said obesity among children is at the crisis level and is driving medical costs up throughout the state.
"Imagine what the cost will be when they become my age," she said of teenagers and younger children who suffer health problems at an early age. "It is not only a good measure for our economy and our citizens," she said, "but this is a quality of life issue for these students." She said it involves teaching and educating them as to what a healthy lifestyle can mean to them.
Wohlgemuth said information being distributed in some areas of the state is not just being used at schools, but is making its way home and being used by entire families.
"What we have to do is get the word out about how important this is later in life," said Shapleigh. He noted it could have significant impact on quality of life as well as significantly impact costs related to health care. "The cost of health care in the United States will rise if we don't address this issue and be pro-active on it," he said.
"We hope to see much more nutritious food on school campuses," said Shapleigh. That is not true in Texas today, he said.