School nutrition

[Guest guest]

*NEW YORK (AP) -- The nation's largest beverage distributors have agreed to

halt nearly all soda sales to public schools, according to a deal announced

Wednesday by the J. Clinton Foundation.*

Under the agreement, the companies have agreed to sell only water,

unsweetened juice and low-fat milks to elementary and middle schools, said

Jay Carson, a spokesman for former President Bill Clinton. Diet sodas would

be sold only to high schools.

Cadbury Schweppes PLC, Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc. and the American Beverage

Association have all signed onto the deal, Carson said, adding that the

companies serve " the vast majority of schools. " The American Beverage

Association represents the majority of school vending bottlers.

The deal follows a wave of regulation by school districts and state

legislatures to cut back on student consumption of soda amid reports of

rising childhood obesity rates. Soda has been a particular target of those

fighting obesity because of its caloric content and popularity among

children.

" It's a bold and sweeping step that industry and childhood obesity advocates

have decided to take together, " Carson said.

A man who answered the phone at Cadbury Schweppes' London headquarters said

no one was available for comment. Calls seeking comment from the other

distributors were not immediately returned early Wednesday.

Nearly 35 million students nationwide will be affected by the deal, The

Alliance for a Healthier Generation said in a news release. The group, a

collaboration between Clinton's foundation and the American Heart

Association, helped broker the deal.

" This is really the beginning of a major effort to modify childhood obesity

at the level of the school systems, " said H. Eckel, president of the

American Heart Association.

Under the agreement, high schools will still be able to purchase drinks such

as diet and unsweetened teas, diet sodas, sports drinks, flavored water,

seltzer and low-calorie sports drinks from distributors.

School sales of those kinds of drinks have been on the rise in recent years,

while regular soda purchases by students have been falling, according to an

ABA report released in December. But regular soda is still the most popular

drink among students, accounting for 45 percent of beverages sold in schools

in 2005, the report said.

The agreement applies to beverages sold for use on school grounds during the

regular and extended school day, Carson said. Sales during after-school

activities such as clubs, yearbook, band and choir practice will be affected

by the new regulations. But sales at events such as school plays, band

concerts and sporting events, where adults make up a significant portion of

the audience, won't be affected, he said.

How quickly the changes take hold will depend in part on individual school

districts' willingness to alter existing contracts, the alliance said. The

companies will work to implement the changes at 75 percent of the nation's

public schools by the 2008-2009 school year, and at all public schools a

year later.

Many school districts around the country have already begun to replace soda

and candy in vending machines with healthier items, and dozens of states

have considered legislation on school nutrition this year.

The agreement follows an August decision by the American Beverage

Association to adopt a policy limiting soft drinks in high schools to no

more than 50 percent of the selections in vending machines. That

recommendation was not binding.

Copyright 2006 The Associated

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Sincerely,

Kalman MS, RD

If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise.

-Unknown