Donald Trump official and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue did not allow one of the accomplishments of former First Lady Michelle Obama to continue. The accomplishment derailed by Perdue pertained to one of the plans implemented during the Obama administration in an attempt to fight childhood obesity.
Obama's accomplishment focused on stricter nutritional standards for lunches and breakfasts served in schools. The plan was to cut down on sodium, serve less whole grains and reduce sweetened milk drinks. The restrictions made its way in 2012 under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.
Perdue talked about the cancellation of Obama's plan while he talked at Catoctin Elementary School in Leesburg, Virginia. He pointed out that he decided to stall the implementation of Obama's initiative because the food might just end up in the trash since it is likely the kids at school will not want to eat them. Perdue continued that some schools complained about the new menu for lunch and breakfast because the whole grain changes resulted to children not wanting to eat them.
The Agriculture Secretary promised they will work on long-term solutions regarding foods served in schools. One of the proposed changes was children must take fruits and vegetables, CBS News reported.
Perdue said their latest move will not require schools to change the amount of sodium in the foods they serve until 2020 but they will grant schools with waivers if they want to quit serving only whole-grain enriched food. Perdue said they will not go back to the same food served before the Act came into existence but they will offer schools with more flexibility in order to benefit both the schools and the students.
Even though Perdue believed the restrictions from Obama were too strict, other advocates such as public health researcher Miriam Nelson said the program regarding schools meals resulted to progress in the past five years. She added, "This progress has contributed to reversing the trend in childhood obesity rates nationwide. ... We want to continue the progress we have made."
Moreover, 97 percent of schools complied with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. They will be able to get extra six cents per meal, as per their reimbursement from the government, The Washington Post revealed.
This is not the first time a nutrition-related legacy from the Obama administration got stalled by the Trump government. Last week, the Food and Drug Administration announced they will re-write some parts of the ObamaCare.
