Examining a statewide law banning junk food and beverage marketing in Maine high schools

Introduction and Background: Consumption of non-nutritious food and beverages has been shown to be a key determinant of the current obesity epidemic among youth. Food advertising affects children's food choices, food purchase requests, diets and health. Maine's Chapter 156, the first statewide law to ban junk food and beverage marketing in schools, went into effect in September 2007. No statewide policies to restrict marketing in schools have been studied and little is known about how best to create and implement marketing policy change in schools. We are in the process of assessing the nature and extent of food and beverage marketing in Maine high schools and compliance with Chapter 156. We will develop recommendations to improve legislation and school policies. Methods: A cross sectional survey is being used to observe school food marketing practices, policies, and school administrators' perceptions since inception of Chapter 156 in a random selection of 20 Maine high schools. Expected Results: We expect to find varying levels of compliance with Chapter 156. We will report the nature and extent of food and beverage marketing found, including frequencies, descriptive measures, and observational measures of school based advertising and marketing. Discussion: Many states and municipalities are considering marketing legislation or policies. This study will help us craft recommendations that inform Maine and national stakeholders how best to create and implement school marketing policy and improve legislation. School Health Coordinators, such as those found in Maine, may prove unique in their ability to utilize our study findings.