Food Industry Leaders Agree to Healthier Snack Guidelines for Sales to Students

On October 6, 2006, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation – a joint initiative between the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association – and representatives from Campbell Soup Company, Dannon, Kraft Foods, Mars, and PepsiCo announced an agreement to adhere to new, healthier guidelines for snack foods supplied to schools.

The new guidelines apply to snacks, side items, treats, desserts, and all other items sold to students outside of the National School Lunch Program, including vending machines, a la carte items, school stores, snack carts, and fundraisers. The guidelines aim to promote consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; promote fat-free and low-fat dairy products; place limits on total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and sodium; and incorporate calorie limits based on age and school level. Food industry leaders will reformulate current products and develop new products to meet these guidelines.

The guidelines are as follows:

1. Most food items must meet these criteria:

• No more than 35% of calories from fat,
• No more than 10% of calories from saturated fat, 
• No more than 35% sugar by weight,
• No more than 230 mg of sodium, and
• Must be trans fat free.

The food items are capped at 100 calories per item regardless of grade level.

2. Foods that contain one or more essential nutrients (i.e. vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein) may be offered in increased portion sizes: 150 calories for elementary school, 180 calories for middle school, and 200 calories for high school.

These guidelines take effect at all times during the school day and the extended school day. This includes activities such as clubs, yearbook, band and choir practice, student government, drama, childcare/latchkey programs, and transportation to and from school sponsored activities. 

The Alliance and the participating companies will encourage all other food manufacturers and distributors to support these guidelines in their sale and distribution of products to schools. Assistance will be provided by the Alliance to all schools and districts that wish to adhere to guidelines. Schools in the Healthy Schools Program will receive targeted support. The Alliance will monitor the agreement’s process, collecting data on snack foods offered in schools at baseline and every two years thereafter, through 2011, and report all data to the public.

The food industry and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation address the well-publicized issue of childhood obesity by fostering healthier lifestyles, including better eating and drinking habits, physical activity, and student health. This is the second industry agreement that the Alliance has taken towards improving the health of our Nation’s youth through its Healthy Schools Program. A similar agreement with leading beverage companies, announced on May 3, 2006, established healthier beverage guidelines for schools.

What does this policy mean for schools and school districts? As is stated in the Alliance's website, “Schools will have a science-based, age-appropriate set of nutrition guidelines to use in support of their wellness policy… Schools will have access to an expanding number of foods that meet these guidelines.”

For questions about the Agreement, please contact:

Clinton Foundation
Jay Carson
212-348-0360

or

American Heart Association
Carrie Thacker
214-706-1665

Source: Alliance for a Healthier Generation