The start of the 2015-2016 school year is just around the corner, and students between the ages of five and 18 will continue to find healthier beverages and snacks in vending machines, a la carte lines and school stores due to the Smart Snacks in School regulation enacted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in July 2014.
Parents, pediatricians, member companies of the American Beverage Association (ABA), Washington, D.C., and even first lady Michelle Obama, through her Let’s Move! and Drink Up campaigns, applauded the legislation and advocated for its launch. Yet, experts say the move to fight childhood obesity and reduce the beverage calories consumed by students in schools occurred several years earlier with the 2006 development and implementation of the School Beverage Guidelines.