News you can use

News you can use

Fewer schools selling candy, soda to students Fewer U.S. high schools and middle schools are selling candy and salty snacks to students, the federal government said in a report released Monday.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report was based on a survey of public schools in 34 states that compared results from 2006 to 2008. The study did not report the total number of schools that have changed. Instead, it looked at the proportion of schools in each state.

It found that the median proportion of high schools and middle schools that sell the sugary or salty snacks dropped from 54 percent to 36 percent.

The share of schools that sell soda and artificial fruit drinks dropped from 62 percent to 37 percent.

The improvements were most dramatic in some Southern states. In Mississippi, the proportion selling soda dropped from 78 percent to 25 percent. In Tennessee, it dropped from 73 percent to 26 percent. Those two states also saw dramatic reductions in sales of candy and salty snacks.

The report marked a continued effort by health officials to combat childhood obesity.

"Efforts to improve the school nutrition environment are working and Mississippi and Tennessee are excellent examples of this progress," Howell Wechsler, director of CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health, said in a statement.

American Heart Association officials celebrated the progress, attributing it to aggressive legislation and school policy changes in some states that they hope will get children and teens accustomed to healthier eating.

"What kids do in school in large measure dictates what they do away from school," said Dr. Clyde Yancy, the association's president.

- Posted on October 6, 2009
Submitted by chaseroxsox on Monday, 06/07/2010 - 09:19.

It's the kids decision if they want to get fat or not , if they want to make more money sell the stuff so you don't have to, like fire teachers to save money.

Submitted by EvaZ22 on Thursday, 06/03/2010 - 23:21.

This is great! I'm glad they're doing this in so many schools these days. I know some schools say that they're just letting the students make the decision, that they're already big enough to not buy soda or candy. I think that they're wrong. I dont care if you think that its up to them. If you really cared you would just take junk food out of the schools. Obesity in children is a serious matter, but sadly the schools supervisors or whoever makes the decisions for the food just want money.

Submitted by dakotal110397 on Thursday, 06/03/2010 - 10:46.

i can understand schools not wanting kids to eat junk food but they can prevent them from eating it at school but they cant prevent them from eating it at home.

Submitted by ALT13 on Wednesday, 06/02/2010 - 08:58.

I know that they want students to stop eating junk food and soda but think about it dont you think the less the students are eating salty snacks at school,then their gonna eat more of them at home.

Submitted by vaishalir1 on Tuesday, 06/01/2010 - 14:03.

Hi,
I agree that Americans eat too much junk-food thinking it is tasty when it is not! I think schools should not sell candy and soda to children at this age because imagine what it can do to their health. These are not healthy foods. Kids will not make good choices if even the school offers it. Hopefully, all the schools will make the decision to ban soda and candy from schools' catering.

Submitted by KarenG1 on Friday, 05/28/2010 - 19:05.

I strongly agree with the article because most Americans eat sugary and salty foods. That is why most kids are getting to be obese. In schools their is more problems because some schools still have the processed food and not the healthy items that we need to be healthy for their school lunch.