Five Years of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act

Share On Social!

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) was passed in 2010 with the goal of improving child nutrition. The Act proved to be historic investment in the health of the nation’s children, especially Latinos who have been traditionally underserved by nutritional standards.

One of the primary changes to come from the act was the introduction of updated school nutrition standards. Over 97% of the schools in the country report that they are meeting the updated standards. Previously the United States Drug Administration (USDA) determined that 17.4 million American households were at risk for hunger in (in a report from 2009); this included one in four Latino families. Among them, households with children were more likely than average to face very low food security among children.

“The USDA is committed to ensuring that all Latino families in the United States have access to nutritious foods, which will help them stay healthy, active and able to win their future,” said Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in a previous interview.

The standards were developed by the Institute of Medicine and children nationwide now have access to healthy, well-balanced meals. Many schools have integrated fresh, local produce into their menus through farm-to-school initiatives due to the Farm-to-School Grants program under the Act.

More than 17,500 schools nationwide have implemented HHFKA’s Community Eligibility Provision, offering nutritionally balanced meals at no cost to more than 8 million school children each school day. The HHFKA reaches beyond schools with the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

HHFKA also expanded the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program nutrition education program (SNAP-Ed). The program continues to be aimed at low-income Americans, the HHFKA provision made it easier for states to administer nutrition education.

Obesity remains the fastest growing public health issue in the United States. Roughly one-third of American children are overweight or obese, putting that same proportion of children at risk for diabetes, with the rate in Latino communities reaching nearly one-half. At over five years old, the HHFKA continues to be strengthened by the USDA. The ultimate goal is to eliminate childhood hunger and obesity.