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In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposed updated nutrition standards for snack foods and beverages sold in school. This proposal was the first update to national standards in more than 30 years. USDA requested public feedback on the proposal for 60 days, and Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, submitted comments.
In her comments, Lavizzo-Mourey noted that a growing body of evidence shows that policies that restrict sales of unhealthy snack foods and beverages in schools can improve children’s diets, reduce weight gain, and increase school food-service revenues. Based on this and other research, she urged USDA to create comprehensive standards that apply to all snack foods and beverages sold in schools, across the school campus and throughout the school day.
Lavizzo-Mourey applauded USDA for its efforts and urged the agency to finalize and fully implement the updated standards as soon as possible to ensure that all children across the country have access to healthier snack foods and beverages in schools.
About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
For more than 40 years the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has worked to improve health and health care. We are striving to build a national Culture of Health that will enable all to live longer, healthier lives now and for generations to come.
