Focus on childhood obesity drives efforts to limit junk food sales on campuses

Three years after the AFT passed a convention resolution calling for stricter regulation on the sale of “competitive foods” in school—junk food, in other words—many state legislatures are taking up the issue.

The AFT’s resolution, which came out of the PSRP division, argued that schools need to look at sales of unhealthful foods out of concern for the growing problem of childhood obesity. In practical terms, the legislative response has been to limit the use of vending machines and to promote more nutritious offerings in those machines.

The most significant recent legislation was passed in California and signed into law in September. But that bill, like many others that have faced strong opposition from soft drink and snack food companies, exempts high schools from restricting vending machines. Typical proposals call for turning off the machines during meal periods, limiting the size of soft drinks or adding options such as water and lower-fat snacks. (See box at right for one group’s rating of snacks.)

While not many measures have passed, about 20 states have considered legislation to ban or limit soft drink and candy sales, and the passage of the California law is expected to lead to similar proposals in other states.

Few states and districts, however, have been willing to challenge another common practice: exclusive contracts with one company, typically Coca-Cola or Pepsi, that pay districts in return for only allowing their products in vending machines. Those contracts have become an important source of money for sports and other extracurricular activities, so administrators have been reluctant to rethink the wisdom of the contracts.

On a positive note, reports have shown that the nutritional quality of school lunches has been improving over the past decade. The amount of fat, sodium and cholesterol has decreased, and healthful offerings such as fruits and vegetables are more available.