Wasatch District sours on junk food

Wasatch School District set precedent last week by becoming the first Utah district to establish a nutrition policy limiting sweets and junk food.

The policy was drafted by a committee of school board members, district administrators and county health department officials to help educate students about healthy food choices.

Child obesity is a serious problem in the state and nationwide that demands attention, said superintendent Terry Shoemaker.

"We have got to wake up to the fact that unless we make some changes, we are going to have a generation who will not live nearly the length of their parents," Shoemaker said.

According to the state Department of Health, one out of every four children is overweight, and almost 12 percent of Utah children are obese.

The policy, which originally sought to completely ban pop and candy in vending machines as well as the use of food as a classroom reward, requires 70 percent of student vending machine offerings to be water, milk, 100 percent fruit juices and edibles meeting the district's minimum nutritional standards. Junk food items cost more. The policy applies to vending machines in faculty lounges.

It also bans vending machines in elementary and middle schools and directs district officials to draft a plan to lower processed foods and increase fruits, vegetables and low-fat and low-sugar items.

The policy, which took effect on passage, allows but discourages teachers from using food as rewards. Parents could request in writing that their children not receive such rewards.

District vending machine contracts will have to be changed because of the new policy.

Vicci Gappmayer, principal of Wasatch High School, said vending contracts so far have brought in $12,000 to $14,000 for extracurricular activities such as academic decathlon and honors society. Nonetheless, she said she doesn't believe the district will ultimately lose money, noting she is ready for the challenge of finding the right healthful food that kids will be interested in.

"The verdict is still out, but I am going to look at it in a positive vein because it gives kids healthy choices," Gappmayer said. "You can't put a dollar sign on student health — if my revenue goes down, it may hurt a little bit, but who knows, it might go up."

Other districts are also taking a look at their nutrition policies. Granite is urging schools to cut back on junk food. Nebo is taking a closer look at nutrition in its schools.

Public health agencies agree that child nutrition is a national concern, with obesity rates and adult-onset diabetes diagnoses on the rise. Studies show that poor nutrition breeds poor achievement.

The State Board of Education also is urging schools to give enough lunch time and adequate seating so kids don't replace meals with machine-bought snacks.

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