Press Release: School Beverage Policy Announcement
What is the Alliance announcing today?
The Alliance is announcing its first agreement with industry as part of the Healthy Schools Program. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation – a joint initiative of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association – has worked with representatives of Cadbury Schweppes, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and the American Beverage Association to establish new, voluntary guidelines to limit portion sizes and reduce the number of calories present in beverages throughout the nation’s schools.
How will today’s announcement affect childhood obesity?
Obesity is a complex problem, and there is no one solution. The core of the problem, however, is that many young people are consuming more calories than they are burning. School is one environment where young people have the opportunity to consume too many calories and burn too few. These guidelines are one piece of the Alliance’s strategy to help students to reduce calories consumed and to increase calories burned at school.
By limiting the products offered and reducing the portion sizes available in schools, students will get fewer calories than they do today and will learn important lessons about portion control and appropriate serving sizes.
Why has the American beverage industry adopted this Policy?
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation has been talking with companies across the food and beverage industry and their representatives for several months to explore practical ways to give children lower calorie and nutritious options as part of the Alliance’s larger efforts in schools. We are pleased that the American Beverage Association and the companies participating in this announcement share this philosophy and have shown their commitment to addressing health issues in schools by being the first industry to work with us to create changes that will reduce the calories available to children in US schools. This is a logical progression from the school vending policy they announced last year.
What does this do for schools and kids?
The policy announced today provides clear science-based guidelines to schools to provide lower calorie and more nutritious beverage options for children. With the support of industry, schools now can more easily negotiate new contracts and amend existing contracts for healthier on-campus drinks.
What is the Healthy Schools Program?
The Healthy Schools Program was launched in February 2006 by the American Heart Association and The William J. Clinton Foundation, with funding from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
What is the Alliance For A Healthier Generation and the Healthy Schools Program?
The Alliance for A Healthier Generation is a partnership between the American Heart Association and The William J. Clinton Foundation, with funding from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Alliance is also collaborating with a network of organizations and individuals concerned with childhood obesity and physical inactivity among America’s youth. The Healthy Schools Program is an Alliance initiative that was launched February 2006.
There are four main elements of the Healthy Schools program:
- A criteria-based recognition program that will acknowledge schools that have met set standards for nutrition, physical activity and staff wellness. Schools will be evaluated on:
- Healthy foods offered as part of the national school breakfast and lunch programs
- Foods offered to children through competitive food offerings in schools
- Physical activity programs meeting national PE standards
- After-school programs that incorporate physical activity and offer children healthy snacks
- Availability of wellness programs for school staff
There will be progressive levels of commitment to creating and implementing a healthy school environment. This will be recognized by three award levels (gold, silver and bronze) for schools
- Technical assistance will be available to schools in the program. Assistance and information will be offered through
- Staff assigned to help each school develop action plans and overcome barriers
- A telephone-based call center, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation School Program Web site and staff training provided by the Alliance
- Access to “best practice” information and materials
- Assistance in establishing ongoing relationships with
- A network of organizations and volunteers who are concerned with childhood obesity and physical inactivity among America’s youth and who are willing to partner with schools to create a healthier environment
- Representatives from business and industry involved with school food and physical activity initiatives and programs. Assistance will be provided for negotiating school food and physical activity services and programs.
- The program will be evaluated and outcomes and lessons learned will be used to improve the overall initiative and also will be disseminated to people in education, healthcare and related fields.
Why would AHA and the Clinton Foundation work with the beverage industry on a Policy like this?
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is committed to combating childhood obesity by helping children reduce the number of calories they consume and increase the number of calories they burn — while teaching them lifelong healthy habits. The policy announced today will reduce the number of calories available to children via beverages during the traditional and extended school day and is an important step in this broader agenda.
Will this policy announced today affect change?
It is the goal of all parties involved to implement these guidelines in 75 percent of schools under contract with bottlers prior to the beginning of the 2008–09 school year. Compliance for all schools is to be achieved before the start of the 2009–10 school year. The American Beverage Association will release data on the percentage of schools companies have under contract that are in compliance with this policy beginning in August 2007, and annually each year thereafter, via its Web site and/or a news release.
Reports will include the beverages purchased by children in all school venues whether vending machines, la carte lines, or school stores. The report will attempt to distinguish between beverages supplied directly to schools by bottlers for consumption during the regular and extended school day versus those consumed at school-related events or indirectly through other channels, such as food and beverage distributors and contract operators.
Has the Alliance received money or other compensation from the beverage industry?
No.
What can schools with an existing beverage contract do?
We encourage schools with existing contracts to contact their bottler to amend their existing contract to immediately change the beverages available in their schools to include only the options outlined in this policy. PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and Cadbury Schweppes together with their bottlers will work with schools and school districts in the spirit of mutual financial fairness in amending its agreements with schools and school districts.
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