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 Home > News & Policies > October 2003

Excerpts from the Press Briefing by Scott McClellan, September 16, 2003 (Full Transcript)

QUESTION: I have a second question. The second question is, a report yesterday from Center for Science in the Public Interest says children in America are getting fat. Obesity rates have doubled and tripled -- doubled in children and tripled in teens over the last two decades. They blame it on junk food in schools. Kids are taking in 30 pounds of soda every year now. They say, they're eating a lot of Hostess Ho-Hos out of the vending machines. They want to ban junk food from the schools. Does the President agree with that proposal?

MR. McCLELLAN: We are working on a number of fronts to improve the health of the American people. I mean, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Agriculture are working on those efforts. And obviously, individual school districts make decisions about their schools. But there are a number of fronts in the President's initiative to improve physical fitness.