Nutrition policy just sweet talk?

A school board's sweet idea might leave some Heber Valley students — and teachers — sour.

The Wasatch Board of Education is chewing on an unprecedented clampdown on sugar in a new nutrition policy and wants to know how it tastes to the public.

A Salt Lake County lawmaker calls it delicious.

But others are spitting it out.

"I'm all in favor of us addressing issues of nutrition and healthy lifestyles," said Dennis Bacon, principal of Wasatch Mountain Junior High, which would lose candy and pop vending machines — and the $8,500 they bring to student programs — under the policy. "But I'm not sure this policy really will have an impact on those things."

Child nutrition is a national issue. Childhood obesity rates are on the rise. So is the number of youngsters with adult-onset diabetes. The Utah Board of Education is urging schools to give enough time and cafeteria seating to eat lunch so kids don't replace lunch with vending machine snacks. Studies show poor nutrition breeds poor achievement.

Wasatch School District, where all three elementaries are part of the Utah Department of Health's Gold Medal Schools health and exercise program, believes schools can instill healthy habits.

A committee of school board, district and county health department officials drafted a nutrition policy aimed at implementing healthy lifestyle activities at school.

The proposal would pull the plug on junior high vending machines. High school students would still have them, but even there, candy, chips and carbonated or caffeinated potables would be replaced by milk, water and 100 percent fruit juices — even in faculty lounges. Junk food could be sold at fund-raisers or school events with certain conditions. There's nothing to bar sugar die-hards from bringing treats for personal use.

The policy is believed to go further than any other Utah school district's but would mimic what other states have done, said Cheryl Hardy, committee chairwoman and district applied technology education director.

What would be in or out?

• Pizza parties for good grades or other food rewards: Out

• Holiday goodies: In

• Foods class baked goods: In

• Foreign language class cultural dining: In

• Big portions and processed, sugar- and sodium-added foods in the cafeteria: Reduced