Study Praises State Restrictions on Competitive Foods in Schools

A recent study has reportedly concluded that school children in states with
strong restrictions on competitive food sales gained less weight than their
counterparts in states with weaker restrictions. Daniel Taber, et al., “Weight
Status Among Adolescents in States That Govern Competitive Food Nutrition
Content,” Pediatrics, September 2012. After identifying states with strong,
weak or no competitive food laws, researchers analyzed data from 6,300
students in 40 states in both fifth and eighth grade (2004 and 2007). The
findings evidently showed that “students exposed to strong laws at baseline
gained, on average, 0.25 fewer BMI [body mass index] units… and were less
likely to remain overweight or obese over time than students in states with no
laws.”

“Laws that regulate competitive food nutrition content may reduce adolescent
BMI change if they are comprehensive, contain strong language, and
are enacted across grade levels,” concluded the study’s authors. “Our results
suggest that competitive food laws had a relatively weak association with BMI
change if they contained diluted nutrition standards that were nonspecific or
not required. Consistency of competitive food standards is critical, given that
competitive food policies tend to be weaker at higher grade levels. Based on
our results, elementary school laws may have a limited impact unless reinforced
by strong codified laws at higher grade levels.”