''New regulations promote healthier snack foods in schools''
Jessica Donze Black speaks with Online Athens about the USDA's decision to set nutrition standards on school snack foods and beverages.
More info"Two-thirds of Americans say, if given the opportunity, they would vote for a law that limits food sold in public schools to food that meets standards for high nutritional value. Three-quarters of parents with children currently enrolled in public school and nearly two-thirds of nonpublic school parents favor this proposal.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently proposed such a policy as part of its mandate to raise school nutritional standards stemming from the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. The proposal aims to prevent students from foregoing cafeteria food in favor of "foods of minimal nutritional value" that may be offered in snack bars and elsewhere on school grounds. The public has until early April to comment on the proposed regulations.
The new Gallup poll, conducted March 8-9, also finds a smaller majority of Americans, 57%, favor such laws when the question specifies that the nutritional standards for school meals would also apply to food sold in vending machines, snack bars, and at bake sales. This wording was asked of a separate half sample of respondents."
- Date added:
- Mar 13, 2013
- Project:
- Kids' Safe and Healthful Foods Project
- Topic:
- School Food
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