New Jersey first state to ban junk food in schools so kids may live long and prosper

From the Editorial Page, Nation's Restaurant News
July, 2005

Elissa Elan - Soon there will be no sweets for the sweet in New Jersey schools — at least none that lists sugar as the main ingredient.

Last month New Jersey lawmakers passed one of the nation's most sweeping laws banning the sale of candy, soda and fatty, sugary foods in schools statewide.

Sponsored by Richard J. Codey, New Jersey's acting governor, the legislation will be fully operational by Sept. 1, 2007. It mandates that any food item with sugar as its first or primary ingredient will not be permitted for sale at any school cafeteria in the state.

And while bans on soda and so-called junk food in schools are not new — individual cities have been embracing such bans for the past few years — what makes that policy different is that it is not just a ban. In addition, it incorporates mandatory education into the mix so that children in prekindergarten through high school will have the opportunity to learn about good nutrition, smart food choices and ways to live healthful lifestyles from practically the beginning of their life cycles.

According to Gov. Codey, the legislation was put into place in order to combat childhood obesity and the chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, that are linked to it. A recent study of 2,900 sixth graders in New Jersey found that 20 percent of them were classified as obese, while an additional 18 percent were categorized as overweight. Furthermore, health officials have reported that 9 million children nationwide between the ages of 6 and 16 are deemed overweight.

School cafeterias are not the only target of the New Jersey law. The legislation also takes aim at vending machines, snack bars, school stores, on-campus fund-raisers and federally subsidized snacks that are provided during after-school academic programs. At the same time, however, the law is a bit more relaxed for middle- and high-school students; it still will allow the sale of some flavored iced teas and sports drinks. Tweens and teens also will be able to drink whole milk if they request it.

Recently, Connecticut tried to pass a similar measure banning so-called junk food in its schools, but Gov. M. Jodi Rell vetoed the bill, saying it was the parents' responsibility to meet the primary health and dietary needs of their children.

Without a doubt there is truth to Rell's reasoning. Parents need to take an active role in teaching their children about proper nutrition. But given the alarming rates of childhood obesity, parents also appear to need some help in the fight against it.

Some people may say that a ban — any ban — is undesirable because it takes away the right to choose. They might argue that it is a little ironic that the state, whose motto is "liberty and prosperity," favors any kind of prohibition. But in combining the law with the education-oriented component, lawmakers actually are handing children a huge choice by arming them with knowledge that will allow them to embrace a more healthful standard of living while they are young.

And that is in line with the message many operators — both on their own and through their trade associations — have been trying to spread: the need for balance in food choices, moderation and physical activity.

Certainly such bans force foodservice directors to be more creative with their food offerings and challenge cash-strapped schools that once benefited from selling soda and so-called junk-food products. But they also challenge the food industry to be even more responsible with the food items manufactured and sold to school-age youngsters, and many manufacturers already are stepping up to the plate.

While such bans are not desirable, they could lead to win-win situations down the line. A stronger, healthier child might end up having a longer life, thus becoming a stronger, healthier adult who stays a viable customer for a longer period of time.

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