April 27, 2006

Help Schools Expel Junk Food

Issue: Rising childhood obesity rates continue to threaten the health of our children — and contribute to higher health care costs. Improving the nutritional quality of foods and beverages sold in schools is one way to promote and support healthy eating.

Background: Schools that sell junk food, soda, and other sweetened beverages contribute to the over-consumption of fat, sugar, sodium, and calories among our youth, which leads to obesity. They also undermine parents’ efforts to instill healthy eating behaviors in their children. While many schools in Washington have made significant efforts to improve school nutrition, many more are providing their students with limitless supplies of unhealthy food and beverages.

This month, bipartisan legislation (S. 2592 and H.R. 5167) was introduced in both houses of Congress that would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to update the nutrition standards (developed in the 1970s) for foods and beverages sold outside the federally funded school meal programs. These new standards would need to be consistent with current dietary recommendations for children and youth. If passed, this legislation would essentially rid school hallways of junk food, soda, and other sugar-sweetened beverages.

Action: As of mid-April, no Washington congressional members have signed on to the bill as co-sponsors. Please join us in urging our U.S. Senators and Representatives to support this critical legislation.

Sample letter:

“ I am writing to urge you to co-sponsor the Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act. This bipartisan legislation (S. 2592 and H.R. 5167) requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to update its decades-old nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold outside of the federally funded school meal programs. The standards would apply to all foods and beverages sold anywhere on school grounds.

As childhood obesity rates continue to rise, it is imperative that we do what we can to protect our youth from environments that encourage the consumption of unhealthful food and beverages. Schools present a unique opportunity to model and promote healthy eating. The standards that exist for food and beverages sold outside the school meal programs are outdated and weak. They allow for junk food and sweetened beverages to be sold not only in the school hallways but also in the school cafeterias.

While many schools in Washington have taken significant steps to improve the school nutrition environment, many more undermine the efforts of parents to instill healthy eating behaviors in their children by selling junk food and soda throughout the school day.

This legislation would ensure that students have access to foods and beverages that provide the needed energy and nutrients for optimal learning. I hope you will consider being a co-sponsor.”

Representative Jay Inslee (D - 1st Dist.), 1-800-422-5521. jay.inslee@mail.house.gov

Rep. Rick Larsen (D - 2nd Dist.), 1-800-562-1385. rick.larsen@mail.house.gov

Rep. Jim McDermott, (D - 7th Dist.), 206-553-7170 www.house.gov/mcdermott

Rep. Dave Reichert (R - 8th Dist.), 206-275-3438. www.house.gov/reichert

Rep. Adam Smith (D - 9th Dist.), 1-800-764-8409. www.house.gov/adamsmith

Senator Patty Murray (D), 206-553-5545. www.murray.senate.gov/email

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D), 206-220-6400. maria_cantwell@cantwell.senate.gov

For more information or to take action online, visit www.childrensalliance.org and click on the link for the action center.