Under current USDA guidelines, a 10 year old child attending public school can opt to consume the following on any given school day: a can of Coca-Cola and a HoneyBun for breakfast; a Snickers bar for a snack; an a la carte pizza, bag of potato chips, packaged chocolate chip cookie and an additional soda for lunch. Albeit the national standards for school lunch improved significantly this past Fall, the guidelines set forth do not apply to so called 'competitive foods'. Items under this label include foods and beverages sold within school cafeterias a la carte, in vending machines as well as those served after school hours at games and other functions.

Provided the lax guidelines around competitive foods, children may have full access to a variety of junk food items at school as long as the lunch meals meet Federal nutrition guidelines. This fact is disconcerting for several reasons, the most obvious being that access to junk food during the school day enables kids to engage in unhealthy dietary patterns, which, in turn, elevates their risk for obesity, particularly visceral (central) obesity. Central fat accumulation is an independent risk factor cardiovascular disease. In addition to concerns about obesity, regular consumption of a nutrient deficient, sugar and saturated fat laden diet appears to independently elevate children's risk for developing heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver disease and cancer.

In the midst of heavy media focus on the 'obesity crisis', it is apparent to many that ubiquitous access to junk foods and sweetened beverages places our children's health at risk. What is far less obvious, but also merits our attention, is that there are a number of other health issues associated with eating a junk food. Namely, children who consume copious amounts of junk food may 1) become deficient in several key nutrients 2) become physiologically addicted to the foods and 3) experience a decline in cognitive function and academic performance.

Emerging evidence in both animal models and humans suggests that high sugar high fat foods may act on the reward center of the brain (particularly an area called the nucleus acumbens) to exert effects similar to narcotic substances and induce physiological addiction. Another body of research, also aimed at examining the effects of junk food on the brain, suggests that nutrient poor, sugar and fat laden foods are associated with cognitive decline and dysfunction across age groups, with particular relevance to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. In light of this, it is readily apparent that efforts to reduce the prevalence of junk food in the school environment is about much more than reducing childhood obesity rates. Removing junk food access in schools is about ensuring that our children have the opportunity to outlive us in both years and quality of life.

The good news is that we can help reduce the prevalence of junk foods in schools. Take action by letting the USDA know that you support their proposal for nutritional standards in schools. Sign on here and spread the word.