USDA Denies Petition to Restrict Junk Food in Schools
Posted Dec 19 2008 12:13am
The movement to toss soda, candy, chewing gum, and other junk food out of our nation's schools has suffered a huge blow, according to Commercial Alert, a consumer advocacy group which seeks to defend our nation's young from flagrant commercialism.
As Commercial Alert laments on its blog, the U.S. Department of Agriculture rejected its petition to enforce its own competitive foods rule, which prohibits public schools from selling `foods of minimal nutritional value' during mealtimes in school cafeterias."
"The rule was designed to promote the health of school children, but enforcement today is lax to non-existent," bemoans Gary Ruskin, executive director of the group, that's been lobbying hard to keep our kids from scarfing junk food that could lead to obesity and hence diabetes.
The movement to toss soda, candy, chewing gum, and other junk food out of our nation's schools has suffered a huge blow, according to Commercial Alert, a consumer advocacy group which seeks to defend our nation's young from flagrant commercialism.
As Commercial Alert laments on its blog, the U.S. Department of Agriculture rejected its petition to enforce its own competitive foods rule, which prohibits public schools from selling `foods of minimal nutritional value' during mealtimes in school cafeterias."
"The rule was designed to promote the health of school children, but enforcement today is lax to non-existent," bemoans Gary Ruskin, executive director of the group, that's been lobbying hard to keep our kids from scarfing junk food that could lead to obesity and hence diabetes.