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Release No. 0469.04

**of**

**Remarks by Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman**

**at USDA's National Obesity Prevention Conference**

**Bethesda, Maryland - October 25, 2004**

**\
SEC. VENEMAN**: " Well, thank you, Dr. Jen, for that very, very kind
introduction. As you can tell, we both came from California, and that\'s
how I knew that Dr. Jen would be a great person for this position. And
he is doing an outstanding job. And congratulations to him and to Under
Secretary Bost for this conference and the outstanding turnout we have.
I think it shows the importance of the issue that is going to be
discussed over the next couple of days at this conference.\
\
"And I want to thank both of the under secretaries too for their
attention to the nutrition and obesity issues. Under Secretary Bost has
been traveling around the country spreading the message about healthy
diets and lifestyles. He tells me that he doesn\'t always practice what
he preaches, but he preaches the right message.

**\[Laughter.\]**\
\
"We also want to thank all the other sponsoring agencies at USDA and our
federal partners from the administration, such as FDA, as well as
academia, public health groups, industries and individuals who are
represented here today. Your presence demonstrates that no single group
can go it alone when it comes to an effective, coordinated response to
obesity. Each of us has a vital and unique role to play in battling this
epidemic. It is a fight that President Bush personally believes in and
supports through his HealthierUS initiative. That initiative is based on
four pillars: good nutrition, physical activity, preventive health
screenings and avoiding risky behaviors. And this is an issue that we at
USDA are committed to addressing.\
\
By now we are all well aware that overweight and obesity have reached
crisis proportions. But every new statistic lends additional urgency to
our efforts. I am especially concerned for our children, because once
young people are overweight the battle is harder to fight. And it is
more likely that an overweight child will become an overweight or obese
adult. Nearly two out of three Americans are overweight or obese \-- a
50 percent increase from just a decade ago. Among children, about one in
six is overweight. And among some minority groups those numbers are even
higher. For example, in Hispanic children, about one in four boys and
about one in five girls are overweight. More than 400,000 Americans will
die this year from causes related to obesity. And obesity is poised to
overtake smoking as the leading cause of preventable death.

-more-

Obesity does not strike with the sudden and life-threatening urgency of
a heart attack or a stroke. It is a major risk factor for the conditions
that cause them. Obesity is not diagnosed in a life-altering moment of
truth like cancer. Yet it is linked to the increased incidence of many
types of cancer. Obesity is not generally thought of as a condition that
requires daily medications, such as diabetes or arthritis, yet it
strongly correlates to those and other chronic medical conditions.\
\
I have even heard disturbing and increasing reports of children who have
become amputees because of complications from diabetes. In fact, obesity
is even changing our language. What used to be known as \"adult-onset
diabetes\" is now most often referred to as Type II diabetes, because so
many overweight children now suffer from it.\
\
In a grim way, obesity is also a growth industry, as products such as
larger seats in theaters, stadiums and cars, the booming diet industry,
and even oversized caskets are catering to larger customers.\
\
In strictly financial terms, obesity costs us about \$117 billion in the
years 2000, mostly in increased medical bills. A study released just
last week by Emory University reported that more than one quarter of the
growth in health care spending over the past 15 years is due to obesity.
As a nation we will all bear these costs \-- financial, physical and
emotional. As policymakers and researchers we must all play a role to
address it. The President launched a HealthierUS initiative in 2001 to
focus attention on the problem. And we at USDA are incorporating the
HealthierUS initiative into our programs.\
\
About a year ago, USDA\'s National Agriculture Research Extension
Education and Economics Advisory Board made several recommendations on
how USDA could increase focus on obesity prevention. Many of their
findings should resonate as this conference moves forward. The advisory
board recommended that USDA take the lead among federal agencies in
developing food- and exercise-based strategies for obesity prevention,
and that USDA should coordinate with other federal agencies toward a
national prevention effort.\
\
The persistence and growth in obesity demonstrates the limits of our
understanding and the need to learn more through research, and to apply
the knowledge gained through practical solutions.

This past February, USDA held its annual Outlook Forum, which usually
focuses on issues of concern to production agriculture. But because this
national concern is directly related to food consumption, both in the
short term and the long term, production agriculture is directly
affected. And that is why for the first time ever we decided that the
Outlook Forum should focus on issues of nutrition and a healthy food
supply.\
\
"It was at that forum that I announced that USDA would host this
research conference, because USDA is uniquely positioned to play a major
role in better understanding how to prevent obesity.\
\
"USDA\'s six human nutrition research centers are doing important work
on obesity-related issues such as the effects of different nutrients on
metabolism and exercise. Many of these centers are partnering with
universities to conduct research that is targeted to specific
populations such as children and the elderly.

-more-

"As I traveled across the country, I\'ve visited some of these research
centers to learn more about what they are doing to address this
important problem.

To underline the importance of science to nutrition, we added a
nutrition, food safety and quality group to the three national program
groups of USDA\'s Agricultural Research Service. Science and research
are also playing a greater role than ever in the process of updating the
dietary guidelines for Americans, which we issue every five years in
partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services. This is
the first time the advisory committee has used an evidence-based
approach to reviewing research for the updates, so that recommendations
are made on a preponderance of research, not just on one study.\
\
"We then use the dietary guidelines as a basis for our food guidance
system, which is currently the food guide pyramid. There is no doubt
that the current food guide pyramid is recognized. Research shows that
some 75 to 80 percent of consumers are aware of it. But one can question
whether the current food guide pyramid is helping consumers maintain a
healthy weight through nutrition and exercise.\
\
"Research will guide changes in USDA\'s updated guidance. There are
basic questions that must be addressed in terms of what people are
eating, and why, so that we can better understand how to turn this
epidemic around. The questions arise: What are the behavioral and
socioeconomic factors behind our dietary choices? What added nutritional
benefits can be found in the so-called functional foods? And even more
critically, despite our efforts to communicate healthy diet and exercise
information, why are so many of those messages simply not getting
through?\
\
        "USDA provides about a half a billion dollars a year in
nutrition education through the critical channels of our food assistance
programs such as school meals, food stamps and the women, infants and
children, or WIC, program. These programs touch one in every five
Americans every day, and comprise about 60 percent of USDA\'s total
budget. But these messages must be consistent so that they make the
biggest possible impact and actually make a difference in consumer
behavior. Here again research can play a key role in helping ensure the
effectiveness of our nutrition messages. One example of success in
effectively communicating nutrition information is our program to offer
fruits and vegetables in schools in selected states. Research shows that
children participating in this program increased their consumption of
fruits and vegetables, both inside and outside the schools.\
\
"At my direction, Under Secretary Bost and Under Secretary Jen are
reviewing our nutrition education and research programs in an effort to
ensure that these programs are targeted to address the issue of
overweight and obesity. Much of the battle we are fighting can be seen
in our schools, but our schools can also be places where children learn
good habits. I have visited a number of schools in recent weeks, and
many where you would not realize that childhood obesity is the problem
that we know it to be. Quite simply, these are schools with healthy and
supportive environments that help children make better choices in their
diets and help to provide physical activity.\
\
"Earlier this month, in conjunction with National School Lunch Week, we
launched an initiative to encourage those kinds of efforts. The
HealthierUS School Challenge recognizes schools that take a leadership
role in helping students make healthy eating and active lifestyle
choices. The challenge will expand on USDA\'s Team Nutrition program,
which provides support for healthy eating and physical activity by
involving school administrators and other school and community partners.
So far, more than 28,000 schools have signed up to be Team Nutrition
schools.

"The HealthierUS School Challenge will give guidance and encouragement
for these schools to do even more. In order to be certified as part of
the HealthierUS School Challenge, schools must enroll in Team Nutrition,
and then meet certain high standards, such as offering nutrition
education, physical activity and healthier meals.\
\
"As we continue to seek solutions, this administration is deeply
committed to the use of sound science in our decision-making. And that
is why all of you are here today.\
\
"In a time of constrained budgets, the American people expect that our
programs are actually making an impact on solving the pressing issues
that we face. As policymakers, we are relying on you to help chart a
more effective course.\
\
"Last year our National Agricultural Research Extension Education and
Economics Advisory Board recommended a clear and coherent strategy for
obesity prevention with more focused research on critical questions
including the behavioral and social causes of obesity.

"We hope that this conference can help bring added clarity to the role
of USDA and other agencies, and also a greater awareness of how we can
bring a more effective, coordinated federal approach.\
\
"It is critical that we think outside the box and dismantle the
stovepipes that would prevent us from mounting the most effective
response possible. As the crisis escalates, we simply cannot afford to
duplicate our efforts or to waste precious resources. We must take a
targeted approach, one that is based on the latest and most reliable
science and one that moves us toward a common goal. President Bush calls
healthy lifestyles a cultural change. I ask all of you here today to use
this opportunity to help bring about this change. By helping more of our
fellow citizens maintain a healthy weight or lose weight, every one of
us has a lot to gain.\
\
"Thank you very much for the opportunity to be here today. I wish you a
very productive conference that accomplishes a great deal. Thank you all
very, very much. "

**\[Applause.\]**

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