Advertisement

School beverage calories down 58 percent

NEW YORK, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- The School Beverage Guidelines Progress Report 2007/2008 says that beverage calories shipped to schools have decreased by 58 percent since 2004.

The report was released by former President Bill Clinton and the American Heart Association's Dr. Timothy J. Gardner, co-leaders of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation along with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and American Beverage Association President Susan K. Neely.

Advertisement

This second annual progress report shows that 79 percent of schools under contract with bottlers are already in compliance with the national School Beverage Guidelines. This surpasses a specific benchmark set forth as part of the guidelines agreement that 75 percent of schools under contract must be in compliance by the 2008/2009 school year, which just began.

The science-based guidelines call for the beverage industry to provide lower-calorie and smaller-portion options in schools, including the removal of full-calorie soft drinks, by the 2009/2010 school year.

Beverage options include 100 percent juice, low-fat milk and bottled water in elementary and middle schools, with the addition of diet sodas, calorie-capped sports drinks and enhanced waters and low-calorie teas in high schools.

Advertisement

Latest Headlines