“American Idol” contenders aren’t the only hopefuls Ellen DeGeneres is listening to these days. The talk show host and comedian and her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, are joining a handful of other public personas and jumping on board with the Healthy School Meals Act of 2010, designed to fight obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cancer in children.
According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, one in three kids is overweight, and one in five already has high cholesterol. DeGeneres and de Rossi, who are a vegan couple, switched to a plant-based diet out of concern for animals and the environment two years ago, so promoting healthier eating habits in children comes as a natural extension.
In a letter to Congress, DeGeneres and de Rossi urge lawmakers to endorse the bill that would help school’s serve more fruits, vegetables, and vegetarian meal options.
They write:
The Healthy School Meals Act is the easiest way to decrease children’s overall intake of saturated fat and cholesterol. It would simply provide a healthier option for children to try. Even if students choose a plant-based option just once or twice a week, they’ll be consuming significantly less fat and cholesterol – and that could make a huge difference to their health.
To learn about how you can help the Healthy School Meals Act of 2010 come to fruition, check out HealthySchoolLunches.com.
What is your child’s school doing to promote healthy eating? Share your ideas and successful programs with us (and other parents) in the comments!
Photo by Project M A R C, flickr
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Tags: children, Ellen DeGeneres, healthy lifestyles, Healthy School Lunches, Healthy School Meals Act of 2010, obesity, Portia de Rossi
