Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #115189

Lisa Craypo, MPH¹, Maria Boyle, MS, RD¹, Liz Schwarte, MPH¹, Sarah Stone-Francisco, MPH¹, and Sarah Samuels, Dr PH². (1) Samuels & Associates, 663 13th Street, Oakland, CA 94612, 510.271.0722, lisa@samuelsandassociates.com, (2) Samuels and Asociates, 663 13th Street, Oakland, CA 94612

School districts across the country are recognizing their role in stemming the tide of the childhood obesity epidemic. They are looking to change their own food environments to increase access to healthy foods and beverages and reduce consumption of low calorie, low nutrient foods. Many school districts have adopted policies that set nutrition standards for a la carte foods - foods sold as individual items, separate from school meals. Case studies were conducted in six California school districts that have passed a policy to restrict or ban the sale of soda and/or sweetened beverages and junk foods. The case studies examined high school and middle school campuses because of the high prevalence of a la carte foods and beverages available to secondary school students. The case studies utilized a multi-method approach to describe policy development and implementation in each of the study districts. The methods included: 1) policy analysis, 2) food ad beverage environmental assessments, and 3) stakeholder surveys. Findings from the case studies describe the elements of the policies adopted, the reaction of the school community to the policy implementation, and the degree to which a district is adhering to its own policy. Many lessons learned emerged from the case studies that can help guide the actions of other school districts interested in adopting nutrition polices that address a la carte foods and beverages.

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