Monday, February 04, 2013

Soda, candy out under USDA's 160 page school snack rules

The Obama administration proposed regulations Friday that would prohibit U.S. schools from selling unhealthy snacks.  The 160-page regulation from the Department of Agriculture (USDA) would enact nutrition standards for "competitive" foods not included in the official school meal.  In practice, the proposed rules would replace traditional potato chips with baked versions and candy with granola. Regular soda is out, though high-schoolers may have access to diet versions. The rules are a product of the 2010 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which also overhauled the nutritional make-up of regular school meals. They would apply to any school, public or private, that participates in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.  Those rules saw a backlash from conservative lawmakers who said students were going hungry as a result of calorie limits. A GOP House member famously compared the rules to "The Hunger Games." The USDA eventually relaxed some guidelines in response. Friday's release won praise from health advocates who say it will help combat childhood obesity, a growing problem in the United States with wide implications for future public health spending...more

The feds are spending full-time banning stuff, from guns to candy.

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