April 3, 2003 Thursday
1:00 pm
Suffolk County Legislature,
Auditorium, William Rogers Bldg.
725 Veterans Memorial Highway
Hauppauge, NY

April 4, 2003 Friday
11:00 am
Westchester County Board of Legislators
Michaelian Office Building
8th Floor Legislative Chamber
148 Martine Ave.
White Plains, NY

Health experts, including the Surgeon General, consider obesity, especially among children and minority populations, to be approaching epidemic proportions. Obesity-related deaths are approaching the levels from tobacco use and obesity-related costs are over $100 billion a year. The percentage of American children who are obese has more than doubled since the mid-1980s. Currently 20% of New York school children are overweight. New York State has a higher childhood obesity rate than the national average, and rates among African-American and Latino children are even higher. A recent study found that one in four obese children have early signs of Type II diabetes, formerly seen only in adults, and overweight children as young as eight have been found with risk factors for heart disease.

Many believe these problems are tied to increased consumption of snacks, soft drinks, and fast foods, increased sedentary activities, such as watching TV and playing video games, and decreased opportunities for exercise and physical activity. Food and beverage business practices, television advertising, school policies, suburban development, cultural differences, and busy parents are among the factors cited as contributing to the increase in obesity. In response, policy changes have been proposed at the local, State and national levels for schools, nutrition programs, health and education programs, physical activity programs, food labeling and advertising.

The Task Force would like to receive testimony on policy and program recommendations related to Preventing Childhood Obesity at School, Home and in the Community.

Please see the list of subjects to which witnesses may direct their testimony. Persons wishing to present pertinent testimony at this hearing should complete and return the enclosed reply form as soon as possible. It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.

Oral testimony will be limited to 10 minutes' duration. In preparing the order of witnesses, the Task Force will attempt to accommodate individual requests to speak at particular times in view of special circumstances. These requests should be made on the attached reply form or communicated to Assembly staff as early as possible. In the absence of a request, witnesses will be scheduled in the order in which reply forms are postmarked.

Ten copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Task Force would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements.

To further publicize these hearings please inform interested parties and organizations of the Task Force's interest in hearing testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

WITNESSES MAY DIRECT THEIR TESTIMONY TO ALL OR SOME OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS. PLEASE SUMMARIZE YOUR WRITTEN COMMENTS DURING YOUR ORAL TESTIMONY.

1. What is the role of private businesses that market food and beverages to children and their families in contributing to or preventing childhood obesity? How might the State reduce the negative effects of products and business practices at school, home and in the community? Should the State require nutrition labeling of restaurant foods? Should the State restrict marketing or advertising of food products to children?
2. What is the role of schools, including food and beverage sales, educational programming, and physical activity programs, in contributing to or preventing obesity? Are restrictions on sales of snacks and drinks in schools adequate? Are physical education and activity programs adequate? What changes are needed at school?
3. What is the role of other community institutions or programs, such as recreation or child nutrition programs in the development or prevention of childhood obesity? What changes are needed?
4. What is the role of parents in childhood obesity, and what types of incentives or assistance might government provide to families to improve their children's nutrition and physical activity levels to prevent related health problems? How do nutrition and obesity prevention efforts need to address cultural differences?
5. What is the role of the health care system and health insurance in contributing to or preventing childhood obesity? What changes are needed?
6. Please comment about current legislative proposals on obesity (A. 2800/S. 2405 nutrition labeling (A. 5520 and S. 1499), medical nutritional therapy (A. 6620 and A. 1261), and school snack restrictions (A. 6563). There may be other relevant legislation introduced after this notice was mailed. Find information about these and other bills on the Assembly web-site under "bill search and legislative information" searching by bill number or keyword or contact the Task Force.

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Persons wishing to present testimony at the public hearing on Preventing Childhood Obesity at School, Home and in the Community are requested to complete this reply form as soon as possible and mail it to:

Robert Stern
Assembly Task Force on Food, Farm and Nutrition Policy
Agency #4, 5th floor
Albany, New York 12248
Phone: (518) 455-5203;
fax: (518) 455-5573;
e-mail: sternr@assembly.state.ny.us

I plan to make a public statement at the hearing. My statement will be limited to 10 minutes, and I will answer any questions which may arise. I will provide 10 copies of my prepared statement.

I will address my remarks to the following subjects: