WASHINGTON, DC - In response to a sharp increase in childhood obesity, over 20 members of Congress today unveiled new legislation to establish nutritional standards for foods sold in school cafeterias that are not part of the regular school meal program. The new bill would also improve the access of low-income children to meal programs that meet basic dietary guidelines.

The new requirements would be made to federal child nutrition programs, which for over 60 years have made great improvements in making breakfast, lunch and snacks available to children in educational settings. Congress is in the beginning stages of making changes to the child nutrition law, which it must do every five years.

Meals served under the federal school nutrition program must meet American Dietary Guidelines. But school cafeterias are increasingly offering other foods that lack any significant nutritional value. These foods, like pizza, hamburgers, French fries and sodas, are sold side by side with the national school meals menu but are not subject to any dietary guidelines and can have a negative impact on healthy eating and student participation in the school meals program.

The Healthy Children Through Better Nutrition Act of 2003 would for the first time require that these competitive foods meet nutritional standards that would be established by the federal Institutes of Medicine.

“This legislation offers a comprehensive means for improving access to child nutrition programs and addressing the troubling rise in childhood obesity rates,” said Congressman George Miller (D-CA), a co-author of the bill. Miller is a leading expert on child nutrition programs and the senior Democrat on the Education and Workforce Committee.

“Childhood obesity is a crisis in America, and high calorie, fatty foods sold in school cafeterias is a big part of the problem,” Miller said. “ By establishing nutrition standards for competitive foods sold in school cafeterias and giving stronger oversight power to the school officials with the most expertise in nutrition, we have a better chance of improving students’ health and academic performance.”

While some states regulate the sale of foods that are high in fat, sugar or sodium sold in school cafeterias, most do not. And the competitive food business is proliferating.

According to the Centers for Disease control: 83.4 percent of schools offer food or beverages other than milk a la carte, meaning outside of the school lunch or breakfast program; 56.2 percent of schools offer foods like pizzas, hamburgers, and sandwiches a la carte; 40 percent offer French fries; 50 percent offer bread products; 60 percent offer baked goods that are not low in fat; and only 35.5 percent of schools serve low-fat or nonfat yogurt.

The childhood obesity rate has tripled over the past 30 years, rising from 5 percent of teenagers in 1970 to 14 percent in 1999, leading to significant increases in the early onset of traditionally adult diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease in young children. Medical researchers believe that -- in conjunction with expanded exercise and nutritional education -- improving the quality of foods served in schools can have a significantly beneficial effect on reducing childhood obesity and its related health effects.

Schools facing revenue pressures often look to competitive foods for relief. School administrators, not the food service directors, have sole discretion in many schools to decide whether to allow competitive foods in the cafeterias. But the new bill would grant the school food service director authority to decide what foods are sold on campus.

Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), a co-author of the bill and the senior Democrat on the subcommittee on education reform, noted that the new bill would significantly improve the access of low-income children to nutritious meals. Currently, 6.7 million low-income children eat two-thirds of their meals at school. But more needs to be done. The new bill would reduce bureaucratic impediments and make other improvements that will expand access to nutritious meals through schools and also in child care centers and WIC centers.

“Even modest investments in the child nutrition programs will reduce hunger, and improve children’s health; well-being; and educational success,” said Woolsey. “Healthy children are the best investment we can make in this nation’s future. Unfortunately, too many children in America are hungry.

“If we can afford to reconstruct Iraq, if we can afford tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, and tax breaks to off-shore corporations, we can afford to feed hungry American children and to help them eat healthy foods,” Woolsey said. “I look forward to working with all my colleagues to expand and improve child nutrition programs.” Click here for a summary of the bill