What We're Reading: School Lunches; Cost of Being Overweight; Surprise Defection on Healthcare

White House Scales Back School Lunch Standards

One of former first lady Michelle Obama’s main goals had been to make children healthier, and that included healthier school lunches. However, the new administration is unwinding some school lunch standards to give schools more flexibility with the meals they provide, reported The Wall Street Journal. Schools receiving federal funding for meals won’t have to meet certain guidelines. The administration says schools have found the regulations tough to meet in the past and students didn’t find the healthy lunches appetizing.

Being Overweight Costs America Billions of Dollars

Meanwhile, a new study analyzed the cost of being overweight and how being active in youth benefits a child later in life. USA Today reported that if half of America’s children exercised more, it would save the country $21.9 billion in lifetime lost wages and medical bills. Researchers looked specifically at children age 8 through 11 and determined that if half exercised for 25 minutes, 3 times a week, there would be 340,000 fewer children overweight and obese.

Surprise Defection on GOP Health Plan

The White House is hoping to see a vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA) this week, but GOP leaders were dealt an unexpected blow by a new defection. According to Politico, Representative Billy Long, R-Missouri, a longtime supporter of President Donald Trump, has announced he will not vote for the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. Long highlighted concerns with the latest version of AHCA, which allows states to apply for waivers to not cover preexisting conditions.