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Washington, Idaho Rated Low for School Food: National Group Cites Lack of Policies

Posted on: Friday, 23 June 2006, 15:00 CDT

By Sara Leaming, The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.

Jun. 23--Despite legislation implemented last year to boost nutrition and physical activity in schools, Washington and Idaho each received an "F" on a "school foods report card" released Tuesday.

In the report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., Idaho and Washington were among a list of 23 states branded as doing very little to get junk food out of schools and help reduce youth obesity.

The report examined states' nutrition policies for food and beverages sold in vending machines, a la carte in school cafeterias, school stores and for fundraisers.

According to the report, the 23 states given failing grades lacked policies beyond what the U.S. Department of Agriculture considers standard, which applies only to foods served as part of the federal National School Lunch Program.

Policies for each state were graded on five considerations, including beverage and food nutrition standards and the grade levels, time of day and locations on campus to which nutrition policies were applied.

Six states were given a "D" grade. Only one, Kentucky, was given an "A" for its nutrition policy.

Only 10 states have a school food or beverage standard that applies to the entire school campus all day, at all grade levels, the report said.

Under reauthorization of the federal school meal program, Washington lawmakers passed a bill in 2004 that required schools to create wellness policies by Aug. 1, 2005.

"But we did not as a state mandate specific nutrition standards, so districts were left to come up with a policy on their own," said Shelley Curtis, a nutrition outreach and food policy manager with Children's Alliance, a statewide nonprofit child advocacy group.

Some schools still provide junk food, while others have taken more appropriate steps, Curtis said.

Spokane banned the sale of regular soda during the school day in all buildings last year. Coeur d'Alene schools also stopped selling the sugary drinks in September as part of its new nutrition policy.

The Central Valley School District implemented a five-year plan to rid schools of unhealthy snacks and drinks, beginning last year. The plan affects all levels of food service, including what is sold in cafeterias.

According to the report, more states have policies to address soda sales in schools than those that address other nutritional considerations.

"I agree our state policy and procedure doesn't have a lot of teeth, but I think it's a great start," said Doug Wordell, nutrition services director for Spokane schools. "I'm very skeptical of this one-sided view that a law or policy on the books is going to make everything better."

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Spokesman-Review

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