'got breakfast?'(TM) Foundation Issues Statement on Recently Released Florida State Plan of Action from the Governor's Council on Physic...( Foundation Recommends Enacting Univ...),Health

Foundation Recommends Enacting Universal School Breakfast to Enable More

Children to Access Morning Meals

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tami Cline, Executive Director of the "got breakfast?" Foundation issued the following statement today following the recent release of the Florida Governor's Council on Physical Fitness State Plan of Action:

"Expanding the availability of breakfast programs throughout the state to include children from elementary through high school is a good first step towards feeding Florida's children, but is not sufficient to increase breakfast participation. In schools where 70 percent or more of the student population is eligible for free or reduced priced lunch, it's possible to feed daily breakfast to all students using federal dollars by enacting a Universal Breakfast Program.

"Numerous studies indicate that children who eat breakfast increase their academic performance, have fewer behavioral issues, and have lower rates of obesity. The 'got breakfast?' Foundation applauds the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness for taking the first step towards feeding Florida's children, but calls on the state to utilize Universal Breakfast so that all children can receive the numerous benefits of morning meals."

The Governor's Council on Physical Fitness in Florida was established by Executive Order on March 26, 2007. The Council has developed a state plan of action to increase Floridians' level of physical fitness through regular exercise and sound nutrition practices. The plan was released with the provision that the state expand the school breakfast program to include all children in elementary through high school.

Universal School Breakfast refers to a school program that offers breakfast at no charge to all students, regardless of income. Universal School Breakfast addresses the fact that many families cannot afford to provide good breakfasts at home everyday nor the
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