State funding wasn't the only thing reduced in Richmond County schools this year. So were sodas.
Schools spokesman Louis Svehla said Monday that all but two schools -- Butler and Laney highs -- had carbonated drinks removed from vending machines this school year. Butler offers an orange soda, and Laney has Sprite and Fanta. Other schools replaced soda with water or juice.
Richmond County school officials say they have also cut back on candy and salty snacks, consistent with a nationwide trend.
A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report says fewer U.S. high and middle schools are selling candy and salty snacks to students. The survey is based on surveys of public schools in 34 states from 2006 to 2008. The median proportion of high schools and middle schools that sell such snacks decreased from 54 percent to 36 percent, according to an Associated Press article.
In Richmond County, the schools' Nutrition Department completed an audit Monday of all the sugary and salty snacks available in school vending machines. The report showed that just three schools -- C.T. Walker Traditional Magnet, Hephzibah High and Cross Creek High -- offer students such snacks as candy or chips.
In Columbia County, school officials instituted a Wellness Policy about three years ago to reduce the number of high-calorie food and beverage offerings available to students. School lunchrooms don't carry candy, salty snacks or sodas, said Jane Wiggins, director of School Nutrition Services. Vending machines in high schools still have some of those junk food items, but not as much as they once did, she said.
"Through the Wellness Policy, I think like 80 percent of the snacks in the vending machines have to be nutritious," Ms. Wiggins said. "They've really made an effort to reduce the amount of salty snacks and candy, and the same with the beverages."
At about the time the school system instituted its Wellness Policy, many national beverage companies, including Coca-Cola and Pepsi, agreed to reduce the number of high-calorie sodas sold to schools starting this year, Ms. Wiggins said. Now, many of those high-calorie products have been replaced with diet sodas, water, fruit juices and low-calorie sport drinks, she said.
Aiken County principals didn't respond Monday to requests for information, but in 2005 South Carolina passed the Health and Fitness Act, which added physical activity time and made cafeterias healthier. Skim chocolate milk and fresh fruit and vegetables are more prevalent. Vending machine access also was limited at the elementary and middle school level.
Reach Preston Sparks, Donnie Fetter or Julia Sellers at (706) 724-0851.
BY THE NUMBERS
Median proportion of high schools and middle schools nationwide that sell sugary or salty snacks:
| 2006 | 2008 |
| 54% | 36% |
IN SOUTH CAROLINA:
Percentage of schools where students are not allowed to purchase candy or salty snacks:
| 2006 | 2008 |
| 24.2% | 44.2% |
The state median for 2008 was 61.2%.
Percentage of South Carolina secondary schools where students were allowed to purchase the following snacks in 2008:
| Cookies/baked goods | 41.6 |
| Salty snacks | 43.4 |
| Chocolate candy | 40.0 |
| Other candy | 47.4 |
| Soda | 49.6 |
| None of these | 40.8 |
IN GEORGIA:
Georgia's results were not included in the CDC study because fewer than 70 percent of principals completed the survey.
Find the full CDC report on school health profiles at www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/profiles/index.htm
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
This is a good news story! Let's hope that the trend continues to totally eliminate these unnecessary "fat pills" that make it so much easier for young people to develop the habits that make them into fat, sick, adults. Congratulations to RCBOE for taking a brave stance against Big Food and for the better health of young people.
don't go spreading praise yet, RedQuinos, the system is still very flawed. RCBOE hasn't helped anyone. they removed coke machines and replaced them with ones packed with Minute Maid drinks and gatorade, which have upwards of 39g of sugar and 5% juice per serving (or more than twice that per bottle). at davidson fine arts there are two machines like this with no soda and I know it is like that at other schools! put a machine in there with diet cokes and you could make a world of difference.
Take the vending machines out completely and make sure the water fountains are working properly. Next get rid of the chicken nugget lunch menus and bring back sensible food. Who says students need to have vending machines and fast food lunches in schools anyway? Take away the bad choices and the students can either adapt or go hungry.
Simple and obvious gnx. The easy and proper situation you recommend will never be considered.
i'm all for taking perks away from kids who have no business having them in the first place, but does anyone really think just because the machines are gone, the kids won't eat junk food anymore? teenagers doing what adults want them to do? please! they'll just bring their junk food from home or leave the campus and run to the nearest convenience store or mickey d's for them. which now means that working folks who go on their lunch breaks will have to wait through longer lines.
Pepperoni Pizza every Friday in Middle School and EVERY day at High School , chicken nuggets, hamburger, hot dog, and tacos - typical menu items at school. There is no denying that removing cokes from the school is a positive step but some students will just go around this by bringing them from home.
In addition, what about putting some physical fitness back into the school day. They will get those sodas and sweets back at the house, but what about some activity? This is a good start but the kids must learn to enjoy high-energy activities, which schools once taught.
The lunches are not all that different from when I was in public school. The difference is in the Physical Education Dept. The kids today need a REAL exercise program. My youngest child attends Rollins Elementary and when some of the children are "acting up" during PE the whole class is punished by not being allowed to have PE the following day. WOW maybe if they "act up" in math, science, etc they won't be allowed to have class for that subject. PE, for some reason, is considered a privilage, but grades are given. Not E/S/US.
""Georgia's results were not included in the CDC study because fewer than 70 percent of principals completed the survey.""....LOL.. this tells you all you need to know.
The lunches are no healthier than the vending machines so what good have they really done here? Kids always have and always will enjoy junk food, it isn't junk food making them fat it is lack of physical activity......you can't take away or raise prices to get people to give up things they enjoy, raising taxes on cigarettes proves that, people still smoke regardless of high taxes.
I was a fat (and miserable) kid and managed to get fat without snack foods in schools, but I applaud this step. Why make it easy for kids to get fat and sick? Sure, they'll buy the stuff after school and at home, but as adults, we have to set good examples for them. I'm very sensitive to fat issues and when I look at school kids today, I'm shocked to see how grotesque so many of them are. A little overweight is one thing, and probably not so bad, but obesity is a blight on our society. I'm speaking as someone who's lived the life. It is not fun. It does not feel good. Don't hold the door open so they can walk through! Use your heads.
What difference is it to the school board as to whether the kids eat snacks and drink sodas? The students are paying for the merchandise, not the school system. Sorry, but I have a problem with government officials telling me and my family what they can ingest--the government isn't paying my way, I am.
ol' mable sounds like she's a fatty and she's "mad as hell and ain't going to take it anymore!" Load up on your Doritos and sodas and hang a "Wide Load" sign on your fanny.
Many folks don't realize there are 15 teaspoons of sugar in a regular can of soda! That is ridiculous!
Old boogabeast, the toothless carney barker, leaving his psychic skid marks all over the page as he tries to predict Mabel’s weight. He sneezed out his Dorito's remark and sprayed them over himself.
We can't make them smart. but we can make them healthy. Not bad considering society needs healthy ditch diggers. Why isn't there a county wide policy on this? Isn't that what our elected officials are supposed to do, develop and implement policys?
Great lesson learned. You dont have to control yourself, the government will do it for you. We will remove the sin before it is cast. Free will equals freedom. Cant have any of that.
What happened to meals at schools served with milk? Either white or chocolate..ur choice. You had pizza (school) pizza, that square slice. Some fruit, some veggies,,,,and those danged cinnamon rolls...OH MY!!!! I loved those. Oh, you also had some apple or orange juice too. And the water fountain was always cold. Now, it looks like a lounge at a hospital. Wasteful. What has happened to all those little old ladies in the hair nets? I know...the old way is always the wrong way. But think about it...how many extremely obese kids did we have in the mid 80's? We HAD to go to PE. It meant something NOT to be able to climb the rope. yeah, other kids laughed, but what do you expect? The world is becoming too wishy washy. We are ignoring the masses to cater to the few. Look at prayer in school. 86% of Americans support, but 14% say no. We can't have it. Let the tail keep wagging the dog and this country will keep failing. It all starts with the simple stuff. I make sure my daughter prays BEFORE school.