• Our children’s health is declining. Obesity and attention deficit disorders are on the rise in America, especially among children. Obesity is the cause of many major health issues, decreasing the quality of life for Americans and straining our nation’s economy. Attention deficit disorders are impacting America’s competitiveness and readiness to learn in the classroom.

• Our economy is struggling. In addition to the negative economic impact of childhood obesity, the outdoor retail industry, many local tourist destinations or “gateway communities,” and state fish and wildlife agencies rely on revenue generated when Americans spend time outdoors.

• Our conservation legacy is at risk. Those who do not spend time in nature are less likely to protect it, leaving the future of conservation, our nation’s immense natural resources and America’s hunting and angling legacy at risk.

• Our military readiness is declining. Nearly one in four applicants to the military is rejected for being overweight or obese – it’s the most common reason for medical disqualification.

To find out more about outdoor activities – visit the National Wildlife Foundation’s Be Out There page at http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Be-Out-There.aspx

“Our findings indicate that enriched learning experiences as early as the first year of life are important to children’s vocabulary growth, which in turn provides a foundation for children’s later school success,” said Eileen T. Rodriguez, survey researcher at Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.

Over a five-year period, the study examined the learning environments of more than 1,850 children and their mothers from predominantly low-income households; that is, households at or below the federal poverty line. Researchers used home visits to gather information when the children were one, two, three and five years old.

The researchers gathered information on how often children took part in literacy activities, such as shared book reading; the quality of mothers’ engagements with their children, such as children’s exposure to frequent and varied adult speech; and the availability of learning materials, such as children’s books.

“As a parent, it is never too early to engage your child in learning,” noted Story. “This research suggests that the degree to which parents read and talk to their infant; point and label objects in the environment; and provide engaging books and toys when their child is only 15 months old can have long-lasting effects on the infant’s language skills years later.”

Last year more than 100 retired admirals and generals of the nonprofit group Mission: Readiness, including myself, strongly supported passage of the “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act” to update school meal standards so that they reflect the latest dietary guidelines. This summer, Congress can help finish the job by supporting the swift implementation of science-based meal standards. By enhancing the quality of meals that end up on millions of school trays every day, we can improve our nation’s long-term health and ultimately strengthen our national security. (as printed in TheHill.com From Ret. Lt. Gen. 
Norman R. Seip, U.S. Air Force, Alexandria, Va.)