By Jay King
Black Californians experience some of the highest rates of food insecurity. Due to persistent systemic racism, a legacy of redlining, and barriers to essential safety‑net programs, this lack of access to healthy food contributes to disproportionate rates of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension in our communities, according to data from the American Heart Association.
Assembly Bill 1264 attempts to restrict access to certain foods in schools. But its broad, inflammatory, and unscientific approach does little to address the real nutrition needs of Black children and risks making existing disparities even worse. The bill would classify a wide range of everyday items, including everything from whole wheat bread, low fat yogurts, canned vegetables, and dried pasta as ultra-processed, regardless of their nutritional value or cultural relevance. Without a clear scientific standard, this sweeping classification is politically motivated, inviting confusion and unintended consequences.
Read more at the LA Sentinel: https://lasentinel.net/ab-1264-is-bad-for-black-californians.html