White House Childhood Obesity Task Force’s ​“Action Plan” for ​“Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within a Generation”: Key Areas of Focus for the Conventional Food and Beverage Industry

On May 11, 2010, the White House Childhood Obesity Task Force submitted a report to President Obama titled, ​“Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity Within A Generation.”

The report was submitted in response to President Obama’s February 9, 2010 Memorandum Establishing a Task Force on Obesity (“Memorandum”). The memorandum created ​“a Task Force on Childhood Obesity (Task Force) to develop an interagency action plan to solve the problem of obesity among our Nation’s children within a generation,” and required that, within 90 days, the Task Force ​“develop and submit to the President a comprehensive interagency plan that,” among other things, ​“details a coordinated strategy by executive departments and agencies to meet the objectives of the Task Force and identifies areas for reform … both across the Federal Government and between other public or nongovernmental actors.”

The 120 page report recommends action by the federal government, states, localities, nonprofits, food and beverage companies, and the media and entertainment industry. For your convenience, we have highlighted key recommendations expected to impact the conventional food and beverage industry, in the attached Client Advisory. The overview includes excerpts of key findings, recommendations, and related benchmarks established by the Task Force for assessing compliance with the reports recommendations and is organized, by chapter, in alignment with the Task Force Report.