May 4, 2006
A foundation headed by former President Bill
Clinton has negotiated a deal with major soft
drink distributors to stop nearly all sugary soft
drink sales in the nation's public schools.
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation a joint initiative of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association worked with representatives of Cadbury Schweppes, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and the American Beverage Association to establish new guidelines to limit portion sizes and reduce the number of calories available to children during the school day.
Under these guidelines, only lower-calorie and nutritious beverages will be sold to schools, according to the foundation.
This is the Alliance's first industry agreement as part of its Healthy Schools Program, and it affects close to 35 million students across the country.
"This is an important announcement and a bold step forward in the struggle to help America's kids live healthier lives," Clinton said.
The foundation said the science-based guidelines are just one part of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation's overall strategy to help kids live healthier lives by decreasing excess calories consumed while increasing calories burned.
Along with the Alliance's other strategies, these guidelines are aimed at significantly reducing the epidemic of childhood obesity.
The agreement will cap the number of calories available in beverages in schools at 100 calories per container, except for certain milks and juices whose nutritional value warrants the higher number of calories.
Under the terms of the agreement, the beverage industry will work to spread these standards to 75% of the nation's schools prior to the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year. The industry will strive to fully implement these guidelines prior to the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, provided schools and school districts are willing to amend existing contracts.
Under these newly established guidelines, elementary schools will only sell water, and eight ounce, calorie-capped servings of certain juices with no added sweeteners and servings of fat free and low fat regular and flavored milks.
Middle schools will apply the elementary school standard with portion sizes increased slightly to 10 oz.
In addition to the beverages available in elementary and middle schools, high schools will also sell no-calorie and low-calorie drinks, such as bottled water, diet and unsweetened teas, diet sodas, fitness water, low calorie sports drinks, flavored water, and seltzers; as well as light juices and sports drinks.
At least half of available beverages in high schools will now be water, no-calorie, and low-calorie selections. Light juices and sports drinks will be sold in 12 ounce containers with no more than 100 calories per container, while 100% juices and non fat and low fat milks will also be sold in containers up to 12 ounces.
"This really is a groundbreaking agreement," said American Heart Association President Robert Eckel, MD.
"Many school districts are headed in the same direction as our guidelines. We commend the many leaders and advocates who have fought for healthier school environments. These new guidelines will help expedite those changes and support parents and students in districts that have not yet been able to improve the nutrition of their schools."