Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Clinton Foundation Stops School Soda Sales

I will show that I am fair and balanced. When Clinton does something good I will acknowledge it:

The nation's largest beverage distributors have agreed to halt nearly all soda sales to public schools, according to a deal announced Wednesday by the William J. Clinton Foundation.

Under the agreement, the companies have agreed to sell only water, unsweetened juice and low-fat milks to elementary and middle schools, said Jay Carson, a spokesman for former President Bill Clinton. Diet sodas would be sold only to high schools.

Cadbury Schweppes PLC, Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc. and the American Beverage Association have all signed onto the deal, Carson said, adding that the companies serve "the vast majority of schools." The American Beverage Association represents the majority of school vending bottlers.

The deal follows a wave of regulation by school districts and state legislatures to cut back on student consumption of soda amid reports of rising childhood obesity rates. Soda has been a particular target of those fighting obesity because of its caloric content and popularity among children.

Story Continues Below

"It's a bold and sweeping step that industry and childhood obesity advocates have decided to take together," Carson said.

A man who answered the phone at Cadbury Schweppes' London headquarters said no one was available for comment. Calls seeking comment from the other distributors were not immediately returned early Wednesday.

Nearly 35 million students nationwide will be affected by the deal, The Alliance for a Healthier Generation said in a news release. The group, a collaboration between Clinton's foundation and the American Heart Association, helped broker the deal.

"This is really the beginning of a major effort to modify childhood obesity at the level of the school systems," said Robert H. Eckel, president of the American Heart Association.

Well, since parents won't say no and raise their children correctly, the school must step in as the parent again.

We have the highest obesity rate of any industrialized country in the world.

19% of our children are obese
60% of our adults are overweight or obese

And kids drinking 2-3 sodas a day doesn't just make them fatter, it affects their behavior...

Appelton, WI and other school districts have gotten rid of soda's, candy and crappy lunch.....and kids behave better, they learn better...so they read, write and add better.

Why do we have to let kids have a bottle of soda and flammin' hots for breakfast?
Why can't parents take care of their kids anymore.

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Why can't parents take care of their kids anymore."

I am not sure how many, but its probably a decent number, dont want their kids eating tons of junk food and drinking a lot of soda. When they are out of sight, they do as all of us did as teens, and do stuff we are told not to do.