Should taxpayers subsidize soda?
from the Center for Science in the Public Interest
The soft drink industry receives a $4 billion dollar subsidy from taxpayers each year, according to an article published in the American Journal of Public Health. These funds come through soft drinks purchased with Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program money. At this time, alcohol, tobacco, dietary supplement pills, and hot prepared foods are already excluded from the program, but nutritionists are arguing that it is now time for the SNAP to also exclude soda and junk food.  Read full article.

Farmers Market Coming to Cow Palace
from the San Jose Mercury News
A new Farmers Market will open at the Cow Palace to serve residents of Brisbane and Daly City's Bayshore neighborhood. The Fremont-based Urban Village Farmers Market Association will open the market in the lower parking lot of the Cow Palace. View full article.

San Mateo Preps for Transit-Oriented Development near Hillsdale Caltrain Station
from The Daily Journal
The city of San Mateo is prepping for some major changes near the Hillsdale Caltrain station, including the eventual demolition of several buildings on El Camino Real that are currently home to many retail stores, some of which are underperforming. Read full article.

Fit Fun for Learning Program Rolls Out
from The Daily Journal
Kaiser Permanente, Mills-Peninsula Health Services and the Get Healthy San Mateo County Task Force  partnered to fund the rollout of the FitFun program, which includes the FitFun Game Guide, a video program overview and materials to help train district classroom teachers to provide students quality physical activity during the school day. Read full article.

A Michigan Teen Farms her Backyard
Alexandra Reau, a 14-year-old in rural Petersburg, Mich. spends her summer vacation farming. Now in its second season, her Garden to Go C.S.A. (community-supported agriculture) grows for 14 members, who pay $100 to $175 for two months of just-picked vegetables and herbs. Read the full article. 

Soda Free Summers is Back
San Mateo County is one of six Bay Area counties participating in Soda Free Summer this year, which encourages people to skip sugary sodas, juices and sports drinks and drink water instead. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American consumes almost 100 pounds of sugar per year, and sugary drinks are the largest source. For this reason, San Mateo County has again opted to join people throughout the Bay Area to quench summer thirst with water and unsweetened iced tea. View the full article.  

White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity Report
The White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity wrote a report, Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation, to President Obama.  This report presents a series of 70 specific recommendations that focus on strategies in 1) giving children a healthy start on life, 2) empowering parents and caregivers, 3) providing healthy food in schools, 4) improving access to healthy, affordable food, and 5) getting children to be more physically active.   

IOM Releases Guide to Inform Decision Making in Obesity Prevention Policies
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a practical, action-oriented framework to guide the use of evidence in decision making about obesity prevention policies and programs.  Click to view the report brief for Bridging the Evidence Gap in Obesity Prevention: A Framework to Inform Decision Making. 

National Physical Activity Plan
The National Physical Activity Plan was kicked off with a signature launch event on May 3rd in Washington, D.C.  States, cities, towns, companies, departments, schools, hospitals—organizations of all sorts—are invited to join in by letting lawmakers, the media and the public know about the Plan.  Join the national effort to encourage everyone to be more physically active, reduce barriers to inactivity, and make sure our communities and institutions provide opportunities to move!  Launch Day acted on the challenge of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign, which is aimed at ending childhood obesity. 

Click to view a powerpoint on how to implement the National Physical Activity Plan in your organization.   

Take a Hike
Take A Hike provides local residents with guided hikes of San Mateo County’s beautiful parks once a month on Saturday mornings from the Spring through the Fall.  This year, participants will visit the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Huddart County Park, San Bruno Mountain and other lovely parks throughout the county.  If you’ve ever talked about increasing your fitness level, spending more time with the family or learning about local history—join us—Take A Hike!                                              

The launch of Take A Hike 2010 will be held on Saturday, April 3rd starting at 9 a.m. at San Andreas/Crystal Springs Regional Trail in San Bruno.  Visit www.smcoparks.org/takeahike or view flyer for information on the locations of all the 2010 hikes.

Active Transportation: Making the Link from Transportation to Physical Activity and Obesity
This research brief by Active Living Research presents an overview of findings demonstrating the potential impact of infrastructure investments and other transportation programs on walking and bicycling for transportation, and on related health outcomes.  It focuses on public transit, greenways and trails, school-related infrastructure and programs, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and efforts to manage car traffic.  Click to view research brief.