Childhood obesity is a major problem in the United States, with nearly 1/3 of children considered either overweight or obese. But there are things we can do about it…and it starts with school vending machines.
A new study published in the journal Pediatrics has found that children in states with strict laws that regulate the sale of snacks and sugary drinks gained less weight than those living in states without laws or regulations. What’s more, children who were overweight or obese in fifth grade were more likely to reach a healthy weight by eighth grade if they lived in states with stronger, more consistent laws.
For example, in states with strong laws, 21 percent of fifth-graders were obese, declining to about 18 percent in the eighth grade. In states with no relevant laws, nearly 37 percent of fifth-graders were overweight and 21 percent were obese, barely budging by eighth grade.
Researchers analyzed data on 6,300 children from fifth to eighth grade in 40 states. Their heights and weights were measured in 2004 when they were finished 5th grade, and again in 2007 near the end of 8th grade. They also analyzed laws on school nutrition in each state, which were aimed at restricting the food and drinks sold in public school vending machines and school stores, outside of mealtime. According to reports, laws were considered strong if they included specific nutrition requirements, such as limits on sugar and fats and were rated weak if the requirements were vague and merely urged sales of “healthy” food without specifics.
Lead author Dr. Daniel Taber, a health policy researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago, reported that for these laws to be effective, they need to be consistently strong in every grade.
While it may not be a strong effect, this is the first real evidence that laws are having somewhat of an impact. It’s the first step toward understanding and hopefully the start of tackling childhood obesity one vending machine at a time!
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