The conference also featured several members of Congress, including Sens. Cory Booker (DN.J.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and Representatives Rosa L. DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Jim McGovern (D-Conn.). Mass .) — and various cabinet officials. José Andrés, the chef and founder of World Central Kitchen, and New York Mayor Eric Adams (D) were also present.
Some 500 people, as well as another 1,000 virtually, attended various panels and brainstorming sessions during the day-long conference.
The White House on Tuesday released a 44-page report outlining the policies that will be discussed in depth during the conference. The goals are to make healthy food more affordable and accessible and to invest in expanding physical activity options and improving food and nutrition research.
The president suggested that the government, along with the corporate world, could play a bigger role in making nutritious food available in places where supply is inadequate.
“First, help more Americans access the food that will keep their families nourished and healthy — there are plenty of food deserts,” Biden said. “Second, give people the choice and information they need to make healthy dietary choices. Third, help more Americans be physically active.”
The pervasiveness of diet-related diseases creates broader problems for the country, White House officials said, hampering military readiness, workforce productivity, academic achievement and mental health.
Among the specific policies Biden has previously promised: expand free school meals to 9 million more children in the next decade; improve transportation options for an estimated 40 million Americans who have little access to grocery stores or farmers markets; reduce food waste (a third of all food in the United States is not eaten, says the White House); conduct more food insecurity assessments; educate health care providers about nutrition; reduce sodium and sugar in American food products; address marketing that promotes fast food, sugary drinks, candy, and unhealthy snacks; and build more parks in “private nature communities.”
However, several of these goals may prove difficult without action by Congress or outside assistance.
The $8 billion in funding is one of the most tangible aspects of the administration’s plan. Officials said they had obtained pledges from more than 100 organizations, including hospitals and restaurants, and would use the money to fund a variety of initiatives.
At least $2.5 billion will be invested in startups trying to find solutions to hunger and food insecurity, according to officials. More than $4 billion is coming in the form of pledges aimed at improving access to nutritious food, promoting nutritious choices, and increasing physical activity.
In 1969, President Richard M. Nixon was the first to convene a White House conference on hunger, and a few other administrations have tried to make the issue a priority in their own way.
First Lady Michelle Obama headed the “Movámonos” campaign to raise awareness of childhood obesity, although their initiative had mixed results and attracted criticism from the right
“I want all of us to take a moment to acknowledge the importance of what we are about to do,” Biden said. “Something like this hasn’t happened in over 50 years. Let’s keep the momentum going in a new, meaningful and strong way today so we can fully embrace this important moment for our children, our community and our country.”
The economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic have helped increase the number of hungry people in the world. its highest level since the mid-2000sas much as 828 million individuals, experts say.
The Department of Agriculture Dear that 10.2% of US households, or 13.5 million, were “food insecure” at some point during 2021, meaning they did not have enough food to meet the needs of all their members.
Biden, a practicing Catholic, cited church teachings and sayings on the subject on Wednesday.
“If you look at your child and you can’t feed your child, what else matters? she told her, adding: “In America, no child should go to bed hungry. No parent should die from a preventable disease.”
While several of the proposals would require support from Congress, administration officials say Biden can make some short-term moves through executive action. These include updating school nutrition standards, developing a front-of-package labeling system, and expanding food insecurity screening in the federal health care system.
“We are not waiting to take action here, but we are planning to take action in the immediate future,” an administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to preview plans before the conference.
Administration officials say they hope the program will continue to expand with more funding commitments. Still, it’s unclear how strong a mechanism the federal government has to ensure participants keep their promises.
“We will continue to work with the CDC Foundation to ensure that these partners execute the actions they have committed to,” the official said. “This will be ongoing work, but we certainly recognize that it is a priority and we expect these companies to deliver on what they say they will do.”
the CDC Foundation is a nonprofit group created by Congress that helps mobilize private resources to support the work of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Andrew Jeong and Eugene Scott contributed to this report.
