Junk food makers may be open to national limits in schools

Rising childhood obesity rates and easing resistance from the food industry may result in meaningful national legislation to limit junk food in schools according to today’s Washington Post. CT was a national leader in 2005 passing a ban on soda in schools, which was vetoed by the Governor. In 2006, the legislature passed and the Governor signed a similar ban that included incentives for schools to meet nutritional food standards. Since then a dozen states have passed similar laws. According to the liquid candy calculator from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a one cent tax per 12 oz. non-diet soda in CT could raise $18 million/year; obesity costs CT over a billion dollars annually, over half of that in Medicaid.
Ellen Andrews