Washington DC is the most recent school system to get rid of junk food and soda in vending machines
In a resolution that stated “most vending machine snacks have little nutritional value, and are in direct competition with a healthy school lunch program” the Washington, DC school system unanimously voted to replace junk food and sodas in school vending machines. The school system intends to fill the machines with healthier snack and food options—an effort designed to improve the health of DC school children and help combat the nation’s obesity epidemic.
The DC board of education will implement the resolution in October in seven schools and hopefully, have all public schools involved by February. In addition to the marketing campaign that will raise student awareness about healthy eating, the resolution also puts very specific dietary restrictions on vending machine snacks. Snacks can have no more than seven grams of fat and 15 grams of sugar with an exception for nut, seed and dried fruit mixes, and beverages are restricted to water, low-fat and skim milk, and other drinks that must contain at least 50% fruit juice. The implementation of maximum portion sizes will be used to help control the consumption of empty calories.
The resolution was met with overwhelming support. Many experts testified in favor of the resolution, including, Joy C. Johanson, a researcher at the District-based Center for Science and in the Public Interest.
Johanson stated, “Schools should practice what they teach. Selling low-nutrition foods in schools contradicts nutrition education and sends children the message that good nutrition is unimportant.”
Skeptics have argued that the resolution will simply send children elsewhere for junk food, but according to Barry D. Sackin of the American School Food Service Association, many school districts that have sold enough low-fat fare to make up for the loss of junk food revenue.
“You can make substitutions in your vending program and still show a profit, a good profit, without the negative nutrition impacts,” Sackin said.
In recent years, Philadelphia, New York City and Los Angeles school systems have also made moves to encourage healthy eating in schools as a result of growing concerns associated with the rise of childhood obesity.
The Source:
The Washington Post
