State scores D-minus on school foods report card

By Janet Rausa Fuller Staff Reporter, June 21, 2006

Illinois was handed a report card Friday, but it wasn't one to brag about.

The state scored a D-minus on a "school foods report card" issued Tuesday by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

The consumer advocacy group examined states' nutrition policies for food and drinks sold in schools via vending machines, stores, fund-raisers and a la carte in the cafeteria. It found that while there has been progress made by individual school districts, most states are still doing "very little to nothing" to get junk food out of schools.

"We were surprised to find how much more work there is to do," said Margo Wootan, the center's nutrition policy director. "While there's a lot of hand-wringing about what a terrible problem obesity is, there hasn't been enough action to really address these problems."

Illinois was one of four states that had nutrition policies only for elementary schools -- a big reason for its low score, Wootan said. Policies that don't also cover middle and high schools, where Wootan says the presence and consumption of sodas and junk food is higher, "really ignores the problem."

Earlier this year, a legislative committee rejected a plan by Gov. Blagojevich to ban the sale of junk food in elementary and middle schools before and during the school day.

Most states' policies are applicable only during school meal periods, the report found. The 23 states given Fs in the report did not have policies beyond the U.S. Department of Agriculture's standards, which apply only to foods served as part of the federal school meal program and which, the report says, are "weak and out of date."

Legislation is pending in Congress that would require the USDA to revise its standards and extend their reach to all foods sold in schools through the entire day.

Not cracking down

States seem to be cracking down on the sale of soft drinks more than any other item, the report found. While encouraging, Wootan said that most states still are falling short by not restricting soda sales for the entire school day and allowing the sale of sugary sports drinks and higher-fat milk.

At least one critic said the report unfairly lumps nutrition policy into a "one-size-fits-all approach" and undercuts the efforts of school districts that have developed federally mandated wellness policies.

"For a school to be downgraded because they allow or offer whole milk, I can't justify that. . . when there are certain kids in schools that may benefit from the energy and calories in whole milk," said Robert Earl, senior director of nutrition policy for the Food Products Association, which represented food and beverage manufacturers.

Earl also said that the report leaves out another important piece of a healthy lifestyle: physical activity.

Complete School Foods Report Card