Impact of Regulating Competitive Foods in Schools: Assessment of a Federal Policy

In December of 2010, Congress passed the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act giving the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) the authority to set standards for "competitive foods" such as foods sold in vending machines, school stores, a la carte lines, etc. In order to better understand the potential impact of the soon to be proposed federal policy, the Pew Charitable Trusts Kids' Safe and Healthful Foods Project and Health Impact Project partnered with Upstream Public Health to conduct a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) on the National Competitive Foods Rule. The assessment found that a federal competitive foods rule shapes student's physical environment, effectively making healthier food options easier choices in schools. These changes can potentially reduce children's risks of diet-related chronic illness through fostering healthier dietary behaviors early in life. Research findings also indicate that changes to the federal competitive foods rule will likely have a neutral to positive effect on school food service finances as the policy may encourage more students to participate in school meals. The HIA recommends that in addition to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for America, the USDA consider setting nutrient standards in alignment with student's age and physical activity requirements for competitive foods and beverages, and provide technical assistance to schools for implementing the new rule. This session will address the methods, findings, implications and lessons learned from the study that can both inform policy decisions and future HIA practice.