Senate Bill 934: Improving the School Food Environment by Extending National Standards

摘要

Rates of obesity among children and adolescents in the United States have nearly tripled in the past 20 years. This epidemic is worrisome considering the many long-term health impacts that stem from obesity and overweight, including their impact on the economic well-being of the nation. Senate bill 934 (S.934), the Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act of 2009, would extend federal school breakfast and lunch regulations to apply to all foods sold at schools in vending machines, snack bars, school stores, and a la carte programs. A variety of evidence shows that the competitive sale of high-fat and high-sugar foods at schools negatively affects the health status of children. However, schools often receive funding from major food and beverage corporations through these competitive food sales. Therefore, the ban on these products might have deleterious financial consequences for some schools, endangering extracurricular activities and other recreational activities that lack funding. Despite these issues, this bill could play an important role in curbing the prevalence of overweight and obesity among American youth by regulating the nutritional quality of foods sold at schools nationwide.