Center for the Study of the Presidency & Congress and Public Health Experts Issue Call to Protect and Strengthen SNAP as a 21st Century Nutrition Program

ADVISORY, July 16, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHAT/WHO:	Capitol Hill briefing on findings and recommendations from the most
	comprehensive public health study conducted to date on SNAP, the
	Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as the Food Stamp
	Program). SNAP serves as a critical safety net for 46.2 million Americans, 50
	percent of whom are children under the age of 19.
	Speakers will include Members of Congress and:
	-- Susan Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.A.
	Director, Health and Medicine Program, Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress;
	Former U.S. Assistant Surgeon General; Project Director, SNAP to Health Initiative
	-- Walter Willett, M.D., Dr.P.H.
	Chairman and Frederick John Stare Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition, Food Studies and
	Public Health, Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health
	-- Marion Nestle, Ph.D., M.P.H.
	Paulette Goddard Professor and Former Chair, Department of Nutrition, New York University
	-- David Ludwig, M.D., Ph.D.
	Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School; Professor of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public
	Health; Director, New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center, Children's Hospital Boston
WHEN:	Wednesday, July 18, 2012, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
WHERE:	Russell Senate Office Building, Room 385
	Washington, D.C.
WHY:	Debate in Congress over SNAP (Food Stamps) has included proposals for
	dramatic funding cuts to the program, which 1 out of 7 Americans depend on
	for food. Protecting current funding levels for SNAP is essential given the
	nation's food insecurity crisis. There is also is an urgent need to strengthen
	SNAP to more effectively address the nation's obesity epidemic – and the
	alarming rise of obesity-related chronic diseases in children and adults.
	Grounded in scientific evidence, the comprehensive SNAP to Health report
	provides a roadmap for policy makers, public health professionals, researchers,
	educators, advocates and industry to work together to modernize and strengthen
	this important program for low-income Americans to help address two of the
	nation's most pressing public health challenges – food insecurity and obesity.
CONTACT:	Berry Brady, 703.609.6643, berry@slfstrategies.com

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