Healthy Kids Meal Bill to benefit kids and farmers | Morrison County Record
When the demand for milk increases, dairy farmers thrive.
Earlier this year, Sen. Paul Utke, R-Park Rapids, introduced legislation to promote healthier eating habits for children in Minnesota. The bill, which is known as the “Healthy Kids Meal Bill,” was originally introduced by Sen. Karla Bigham, D-Cottage Grove in 2020
Lucas Sjostrom, executive director of Minnesota Milk Producers Association (MN Milk), said the legislation was introduced in response to the devastating long-term health impacts of unhealthy eating and drinking on children in Minnesota.
“Sugar drinks are a significant contributor to diet-related chronic diseases among Minnesotans,” he said.
It is estimated that 40% of children are likely to develop diet-related chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease in their lifetime. These and other chronic diseases place youth at an increased risk of serious illness, including COVID-19, Sjostrom said. In addition, sugary drinks are a major contributor to tooth decay.
“It is recommended that children have no more than one 8-ounce sugary drink a week, but today the average child consumes as much as 10 times that amount. That adds up to more than 30 gallons of sugar drinks every year — enough to fill a bathtub,” said Jess Nolan with the American Heart Association.
The Healthy Kids Meal Bill seeks to direct restaurants in Minnesota that serve kids meals to offer milk or water as a default drink. If the child or parents want to order soda instead, they will need to specifically request the sugar drink.
“A lot of our restaurant chains are already doing this. By offering milk or water first, it would allow parents to make the healthy choice by default,” Sjostrom said.
There are several added benefits to the Healthy Kids Meal Bill. One is that it would help to increase sales of dairy products in Minnesota, which would, in turn, help increase income to dairy producers, Sjostrom said. Just in 2019 alone, Minnesota lost more than 250 dairy farms due to low dairy prices that were brought on, in part, by decreased demand.
“The Healthy Kids Meal Bill is a win-win for Minnesota. It will help improve the health of Minnesota’s children while supporting the state’s dairy producers,” he said.
Sjostrom said that when the bill was initially introduced in 2020, it didn’t have bipartisan support. However, this year it does. An information hearing was recently held by the Preventative Health Committee. Sjostrom anticipates that a regular hearing will be held sometime next year for the bill to be voted on.
The Healthy Kids Meal Bill includes a five-year phase period to allow restaurants affected by the pandemic to settle back into their normal business routines before the Healthy Kids Meal measure goes into full effect. Most restaurants also already make milk and water available on their menus.
Sjostrom said that once the legislation is fully in effect in 2024, it would also require restaurants to offer a healthy side dish on children’s menus.
Besides the bill helping Minnesota dairy farmers, Sjostrom believes it can have a direct impact on health insurance premiums, as well.
“You have a lot of health insurance companies saving money if people are healthier and may offer lower premiums as a result,” he said.
Other organizations besides MN Milk that support the Healthy Kids Meal Bill include the American Heart Association, Twin Cities Medical Society, Action for Healthy Kids, Allina Health, CentraCare Health — BLEND, CentraCare Health — Feeling Good MN, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of MN, Blue Cross Blue Shield of MN, HealthPartners, Regions, Local Public Health Association of MN, Minnesota Medical Association, Minnesota Public Health Association, MN Academy Nutrition Dietics, MN Academy of Pediatrics, The Kidney Foundation, American Cancer Society, Cancer Action Network, American Diabetes Association, Metro Doctors, Minnesota Dental Association and others.
