Food Fight

War Against Junk Food In U.S. Schools Heats Up

U.S. Lawmakers are considering a national ban on selling junk food in schools. And with childhood obesity rates skyrocketing, the move looks to be a huge win for adolescent health.

Or is it?

True, the proposed legislation is the most sweeping of its kind–a national ban (of sorts) on junk food in vending machines, snackbars, and cafeterias. Although it’s not a total ban in the true sense of the word, the legislation does outline specific restrictions on the size of the portions and the caloric density of the junk food that could still be offered–which is a huge step in the right direction.

However, the proposed legislation is positioned as a federal mandate which means that individual states could not impose stronger restrictions. The only saving grace is that there is a loophole which would allow local school districts to pass stronger restrictions if they chose to do so.

From where I sit, parents, teachers, and students need to be very cautious anytime the food manufacturers and other third-parties who have a financial stake in the overall impact of such legislation are at the table…and this is certainly the case here. Is this really a mandate that’s motivated by the concern for our children? Or is it simply a wolf in sheep’s clothing set forth by the food industry to ensure that junk food maintains a small but significant foothold and is not banned altogether?

While only time will tell, it does appear to be a big step in the right direction.

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