Did you know that September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness month?  At this time each year, community groups and other organizations plan events to highlight the importance of keeping children happy, healthy and active.

We in the non-alcoholic beverage industry have a long commitment to being part of the solution to childhood obesity.  Through our voluntary School Beverage Guidelines, we cut the amount of calories available from beverages in schools by 90 percent.  And we are proud of the fact that our School Beverage Guidelines are reflected in the recently issued U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) standards for competitive foods that went into effect on July 1.

We are also proud to be partners with the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) on the Childhood Obesity Prevention Awards. The awards go to cities with outstanding programs that focus on educating children and families about the importance of balancing calories and engaging in regular physical activity as ways to achieve a healthy, active and balanced lifestyle.  We partnered with the U.S. Conference of Mayors on this initiative to help communities address tough issues in meaningful and pragmatic ways.

We agree that childhood obesity is a serious issue, and we’re proud to be doing our part to find solutions.  For more information, check out DeliveringChoices.org.