Sec. 2. Findings
381 words·~2 min read·
/bill/115/hr/6477/ih/section-2·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Congress finds the following: The nutrition education and obesity prevention program carried out under section 28 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 as amended by this Act (in this Act referred to as SNAP-Ed) is designed to improve the likelihood that individuals eligible to participate in the supplemental nutrition assistance program (popularly known as SNAP) will make healthy food choices within a limited budget and choose physically active lifestyles while supporting the role of SNAP in addressing food insecurity among low-income Americans.
Federal SNAP-Ed guidance encourages States to target their SNAP-Ed efforts to women and then children in households that participate in SNAP. The Secretary of Agriculture encourages States to develop SNAP-Ed policies and activities that address the highest priority nutrition problems and needs of the target audience. Given its target audience, SNAP-Ed can play a role in reaching and mitigating the consequence of elevated blood lead levels in children who remain at the greatest risk for lead poisoning by educating individuals on a healthy diet that can help combat lead exposure.
According to the Department of Agriculture, foods rich in iron, calcium and vitamin C have been shown to help limit the absorption of lead by the body. Research indicates that the body absorbs lead faster when the stomach is empty. As part of its response to the lead crisis in Flint, Michigan, the Department of Agriculture promoted nutrition education messages through Federal nutrition program providers, community-based partner organizations and farmers’ markets on important foods to consume to mitigate lead absorption.
However, more can be done to use SNAP-Ed to help children and their families who are affected by lead poisoning. In 2014 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 535,000 children in the United States had blood lead levels at or above 5 micrograms per deciliter which is the measure used to identify children with blood lead levels that are much higher than most children’s levels. Of these, 150,000 had levels at or greater than 10 micrograms per deciliter. Low-income and minority children make up a disproportionate number of these cases.
It is critical that the Federal Government continue to promote the use of SNAP-Ed funding for activities that increase education about and access to foods rich in nutrients key to combatting lead exposure.