Actor Alec Baldwin is urging U.S. presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton to back major changes to federal food policy that are currently keeping high-fat, high-cholesterol, high-sugar foods plentiful in schools.
The ‘Pearl Harbor’ star wrote a letter to Senator Clinton urging her to oppose the 10 billion dollar farm bill that would give subsidies to farmers who provide cheese, sugar and other fattening foods to schools."As you are well aware, the epidemic of childhood obesity is worsening day by day, leading to higher risks of diabetes, heart disease and several forms of cancer. I know that you share my concern about this crucial issue," the New York Daily News quoted him, as saying in the letter.
"As a parent, I see firsthand the challenges of keeping children focused on healthful foods. These challenges are made all the more difficult by federal policies that keep high-cholesterol, high-sugar foods all too plentiful in schools.
"There has never been a more urgent time to take action,” he added. Kyle Ash of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, who's working with Baldwin, said: "I think she's vacillating.
"I do think she'd like to vote for something healthier for kids, but the last time we met with her staff, they told us she was concerned about dairy farmers. Dairy is a big industry in New York."
Clinton's spokesman Philippe Reines said: "Sen. Clinton has a strong and long record of promoting healthy foods for children, and has worked to strengthen programs that promote fruits and vegetables."
Source-ANI
LIN/P
