a. the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared that obesity, which affects 61% of American adults, and childhood obesity, which affects up to 15% of American children between the ages of six and 17, are epidemics in the United States;

b. Congress has introduced the Improved Nutrition and Physical Activity Act (IMPACT Act) to address the overall concern with the obesity epidemic and, in particular, the need to educate youth about good nutrition, healthy eating habits, and the importance of physical activity;

c. the United States Surgeon General has issued a report entitled “The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity,” which lists the treatment and prevention of obesity as a national priority, and the United States Department of Agriculture issued a report to Congress in which it recognized that foods without regulated nutrition standards are low in nutrient density and are higher in fat, added sugar, and calories; and

d. health experts agree that one of the most effective ways to prevent obesity is to establish policies and programs that encourage children and adolescents to develop healthy eating habits that they can maintain throughout their lives.

L.2007,c.45,s.1.