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The weekly Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) News Digest highlights what's new on hunger, nutrition and poverty issues at FRAC, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, around the network of national, state and local anti-poverty and anti-hunger organizations, and in the media. The Digest will alert you to trends, reports, news items and resources and, when available, link you directly to them.
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1. Childhood Hunger: Lifetime Consequences
2. End of Unemployment Benefits Harms More Than Half a Million Children
3. PARADE Magazine and Share Our Strength Launch 2004 Great American Bake Sale
4. USDA Revising Food Pyramid
5. Poverty and Secondhand Smoke Negatively Affect Fetus
6. "Superwaiver" in House Welfare Bill Deemed Harmful to Low-Income Families
7. Los Angeles County Survey Finds More Than One Quarter Million Food Insecure Residents
8. Rising Hunger in Iowa, America's Breadbasket
9. Sacramento's Poverty Trend a Mirror of California's Future
10. Wichita District Seeking More Students for Summer Lunch Program
11. Obesity Among the Underfed
12. Rhode Island's Poverty Indicators Highest in New England
13. Body Weight and Test Scores Inversely Related, Study Finds

1. CHILDHOOD HUNGER: LIFETIME CONSEQUENCES

(Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 21, 2004)

Teachers, parents, and advocates have long seen the consequences of hunger on student learning. In this op-ed, John Cook and Deborah Frank, founders of the Children's Sentinel Nutrition Assessment Program (C-SNAP), note that even slight deprivations of food or nutrients have detrimental effects on a child's health, cognitive development, and learning. The effects on the 35 million Americans in food insecure households is long-lasting. A C-SNAP survey found that 21 percent of infants live in food insecure households and are 25 percent more likely than other infants to have been hospitalized since birth. Cook and Frank see the source of the problem as "so obvious that we often feel embarrassed to even state it. If you take income supports and access to nutrition programs away from families with young children, the children are more likely to become hungry and sick." They call their solution "food-amycin," a combination of greater income supports and funding for child nutrition programs. "Food-amycin" has been shown to decrease premature birth, and boost immune systems and student learning.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/164900_hungerfocus21.html

2. END OF UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS HARMS MORE THAN HALF A MILLION CHILDREN

(Children's Defense Fund, Press Release, March 31, 2004)

March 31 marked the last day of a phase-out period of extended unemployment benefits for thousands of families. The Children's Defense Fund estimates 622,000 children and one million jobless adults will face destitution and poverty. More than a million households can no longer apply for further benefits, having reached their maximum. These families will lose an average of $1,100 a month. Health insurance coverage is another loss. A Congressional Budget Office study has shown that the end of unemployment benefits raises the number of low-income families without health insurance. Deborah Cutler-Ortiz, Director of Family Income at the Children's Defense Fund, remarks, "Record numbers of Americans are losing unemployment benefits."

http://www.childrensdefense.org/pressreleases/040331.asp

3. PARADE MAGAZINE AND SHARE OUR STRENGTH LAUNCH 2004 GREAT AMERICAN BAKE SALE

(PARADE Magazine, April 4, 2004)

For the second year in a row, PARADE Magazine and Share Our Strength have joined efforts for the Great American Bake Sale. The nationwide campaign raises funds for the 13 million children in America who are hungry or at risk of hunger. Last year, more than 350,000 volunteers gave their time and raised $1.2 million. This year, the event began April 1 with a cover story in PARADE. The story included a photo of Kimberly Perry, Director of FRAC's District of Columbia's DC Hunger Solutions. In announcing the campaign, Bill Shore, Director of Share Our Strength, speaks of food as "a basic right for every American child. This is the wealthiest nation on earth, and we have the resources to wipe out child hunger in our time." For more information, visit http://www.greatamericanbakesale.com

Press release: http://www.greatamericanbakesale.org/site/PageServer?pagename=media

For PARADE story: http://www.parade.com/homepage.html

4. USDA REVISING FOOD PYRAMID

(Yahoo!News, April 5, 2004)

The food pyramid, the triangular model for healthy eating, is undergoing one of its periodic revisions. The USDA first introduced the guide in 1992 and is expected to release a new version in early 2005. E-mails, letters, and phone calls have provided the agency with a variety of recommendations. Food producers are particularly concerned how changes will affect specific industries. Suggestions include making a distinction between simple and complex carbohydrates, healthy versus unhealthy fats, and food pyramids tailored for special populations such as the elderly and obese.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=624&ncid=753&e=10&u=/ap/20040405/ap_on_sc/fit_food_pyramid

5. POVERTY AND SECONDHAND SMOKE NEGATIVELY AFFECT FETUS

(Neurotoxicology and Teratology, April 5, 2004)

A study by Columbia University and the Southwest Research Institute has found that inadequate food, clothing, and housing negatively affect a fetus' development. The problem is exacerbated if the fetus ingests secondhand smoke through the mother. The study evaluated 2-year old, inner-city children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Researchers hoped to discern the compound effect of secondhand smoke and material hardship on cognitive development. Researchers focused on disadvantaged children because of the high rates of exposure to secondhand smoke in low-income brackets.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/balte.ms.medbriefs05apr05,0,4710785.story?coll=bal-health-headlines

For study abstract: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T9X-4BVPXR6-1&_user=10&_handle=B-WA-A-A-AU-MsSAYZA-UUA-AUYBEBYWYW-AUYACAEUYW-BVDWDVUEC-AU-U&_fmt=summary&_coverDate=03%2F05%2F2004&_rdoc=7&_orig=browse&_srch=%23toc%235126%239999%23999999999%2399999!&_cdi=5126&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=ca0aed78172c38f0ddcde1a83dcb4ecf

6. "SUPERWAIVER" IN HOUSE WELFARE BILL DEEMED HARMFUL TO LOW-INCOME FAMILIES

(Center on Budget and Policy Priority, March 23, 2004)

When the House passed its TANF reauthorization bill last year, it included a provision known as a "superwaiver," which allows state governors to apply to the federal Executive Branch to sidestep various federal laws on low-income programs. The Executive Branch would have exclusive authority to rule on the requests, without having to consult Congress. Among the programs states could alter are Food Stamps and public housing. The superwaiver, if enacted, would undermine low-income supports both in the short and long term. States could shift money away from programs for the poor into other areas, leaving already underfunded programs further weakened. In the long term, Congress might begin to treat programs subject to the superwaiver as one large, block grant program. Without set-asides for specific programs such as Food Stamps, these programs could not be guaranteed funding and could see reduced funding.

http://www.cbpp.org/3-23-04tanf.htm

7. LOS ANGELES COUNTY SURVEY FINDS MORE THAN ONE QUARTER MILLION FOOD INSECURE RESIDENTS

(County of Los Angeles Department of Health Services, March 2004)

In its largest study ever on food insecurity, the Los Angeles Health Department estimated that 260,000 county residents suffered food insecurity, and an estimated 141,000 experienced hunger in 2002-2003. Income and race breakdowns showed that food insecurity is striking not just the poor, but also middle-class families, the employed, and college-educated. The growing income gap between and rich and poor in the county does not bode well for slowing hunger rates in the future. The report also found a growing trend of obesity among the food insecure. There is a "paradox" among poor people who buy fast food dense in calories and fats in order to make food dollars stretch. They also lack access to quality produce, fresh foods, and opportunities to exercise, according to Dr. Paul Simon of the Health Department.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/business/national/8342045.htm?1c

See report: http://lapublichealth.org/wwwfiles/ph/hae/ha/lahealthfoodinsec_0304.pdf

8. RISING HUNGER IN IOWA, AMERICA'S BREADBASKET

(www.theiowachannel.com, April 4, 2004)

Demand at pantries and soup kitchens in the middle of America's breadbasket is on the rise. More than 934,000 Iowans requested emergency food assistance in 2002, up from 722,000 in 2000. "I haven't been able to buy fresh fruits and vegetables for a long time," says Joe Smith, a veteran living on less than $10,000 a year. "I hope they figure out eventually what they give people to live on, you can't even feed a cat on." The casual observer could miss the signs of starvation in Iowa because food insecurity expresses itself differently here than in more urban settings. In Iowa, hunger is hidden behind the closed doors of homes, masking the true proportion of the problem. A USDA ranking of states, however, tells of its seriousness. Iowa dropped from third in the nation four years ago, to sixteenth, in keeping its residents adequately fed.

http://www.theiowachannel.com/news/2973854/detail.html

9. SACRAMENTO'S POVERTY TREND A MIRROR OF CALIFORNIA'S FUTURE

(The Sacramento Bee, April 4, 2004)

Sacramento has been called a microcosm of California. The capital's social trends often foretell or reflect the state of California as a whole. As such, a new study on poverty in Sacramento County does not augur well for the Golden State. Statistician Robert Mogull, of California State University, projected the Sacramento poverty rate will rise to 16 percent by the end of the decade, from 13.5 percent in 2000. The poverty rates for whites, the elderly, and Native Americans are predicted to increase, while poverty will decline among those groups with high levels of poverty now. Sacramento society, as in California, Mogull notes, is stratifying into two classes: highly-educated Californians who own homes and have access to health care; and low-skilled, low-paid persons.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/columns/walters/story/8756259p-9683650c.html

10. WICHITA DISTRICT SEEKING MORE STUDENTS FOR SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM

(The Wichita Eagle, April 4, 2004)

During the school year, more than 20,000 Wichita students receive free or reduced-priced lunches, but that number drops dramatically in the summer. Last year, only 2,500 to 3,000 students were served through Wichita's Summer Lunch Program. District officials believe parents simply do not know about the program, and sites are not readily available to children. This year, officials have teamed with Interfaith Ministries to increase participation by recruiting more faith organizations to host summer lunch sites. Interfaith Ministries received a $7,100 grant from Share Our Strength to conduct outreach, proceeds from Share Our Strength's Great American Bake Sale.

http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/living/8350163.htm

11. OBESITY AMONG THE UNDERFED

(Eureka Times-Standard, April 5, 2004)

Obesity is a nationwide problem afflicting all segments of the population, including those with little to eat. Anne Holcomb, Director of Food For People, realizes this may seem counterintuitive. However, Holcomb sits on the board of the California Association of Food Banks and sees food banks struggle to provide healthy fare. The problem stems from the quality of food donations. Supermarkets and people often give items that they themselves do not want. Holcomb's program turns down frequent offers of sodas, and she faces challenges in getting produce. Poverty is another cause of obesity, leading low-income persons to seek inexpensive foods with a high fat content to feel satiated. Cheaper foods also tend to have higher calories and less nutrition.

http://www.times-standard.com/cda/article/print/0,1674,127%7E2896%7E2063778,00.html

12. RHODE ISLAND'S POVERTY INDICATORS HIGHEST IN NEW ENGLAND

(The Providence Journal, April 5, 2004)

A report by Kids Count Rhode Island found that the state ranks highest in New England in its percentage of single-parent families, teenage dropouts, teenage mothers, mothers who never graduated from high school, and children living in poverty. More than 40,000 children in Rhode Island are poor. Of that number, more than half live in extreme poverty, defined as a household earning $9,000 a year or less. The Ocean State does lead the region in prenatal care. "When you make the right investment in the health of infants and their mothers, it makes a difference," said Dr. Pablo Rodriguez, of Women & Infants Hospital in Rhode Island. He went on to stress that once infants are born, the effects of good prenatal care evaporate without adequate follow-up services.

http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20040405_kids5.849eb.html

13. BODY WEIGHT AND SCHOOL TEST SCORES INVERSELY RELATED, STUDY FINDS

(Foster's/Citizen Online, April 2, 2004)

Heavier children are more likely to be poor and have lower standardized test scores, according to a recent study involving New Hampshire third graders. In 21 schools the children were measured using the body mass index. In all counties, schools with greater numbers of overweight children tended to have lower schoolwide test scores. The study highlights the need for stronger efforts to improve children's health, welfare, and activity level.

http://www4.fosters.com/april_2004/April_02/News/reg_nh_0402.04j.asp