Op-Ed: It's Time to Finally Kick Junk Food Out of Schools

I’m sure you’ve seen the statistics. Nearly one in three kids and teens are now overweight or obese—that’s about 23 million—putting them at greater risk for health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and even some cancers. Rates are even higher in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, as more than 39 percent of Latino and African American children and teens are overweight or obese.

For the first time in American history, the current generation of kids might not live longer than their parents’ generation.

Fortunately, hundreds of thousands of people across the country are stepping up to the plate when it comes to improving the future for these kids. Now you have a chance to do the same.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently proposed nutritional guidelines that would make sure schools sell only healthy snacks and drinks to students during the school day. This is a vital part of the effort to help young people eat healthier, as students consume 35-50 percent of their daily calories at school.

The USDA already is working to improve the nutritional quality of school meals, which is good news.

But the agency hasn’t updated its guidelines for food sold outside of meals since 1979. That means that schools have been able to sell everything from candy to potato chips to sugary drinks.

These foods and drinks are a big part of what kids eat, too—nearly 40 percent of students buy a snack at school every day. Even kids who eat a healthy lunch might still consume excess calories by buying a side of french fries. Other youngsters might skip the healthy meal and just grab an a la carte item in the cafeteria to eat, such as a slice of pizza.

The proposed guidelines would make sure all snacks and beverages are nutritious, whether they are sold as a la carte items in the cafeteria, in vending machines or in student stores.

Some states already have implemented strong nutritional guidelines for school snacks, and studies show that these efforts can help to prevent weight gain. For example, a 2012 study published in the journal Pediatrics found that children and teens in states with strong laws restricting the sale of unhealthy snack food and drinks gained less weight over a three-year period than those living in states without such a policy. In addition, students who were overweight or obese in fifth grade were less likely to be by the time they reached eighth grade if they lived in a state with strong school snack laws.

Isn’t it time that all kids across the country grow up attending schools that offer only healthy snacks and drinks? Tell the U.S. Department of Agriculture that you support strong nutritional guidelines for snacks and drinks sold at school.

Takepart.com – Fri, Mar 29, 2013