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Shelley Osterloh and Marc Giaque ReportingIn a deal announced today by former President Bill Clinton, three major beverage companies say they'll stop selling some soft drinks in schools. Their aim is to cut down on the sugar, in an attempt to curb childhood obesity.
Under an agreement reached between the William J. Clinton Foundation and all major soft-drink makers, the only sodas that would come out of high school vending machines would be diet sodas.
You won't find soda vending machines in Utah elementary schools unless it's in the teachers lounge. But many Utah Middle schools have them and nearly all high schools. In the next few years, distributors will phase out the sugary soft drinks and replace them with water or healthier drinks, but at a cost to schools.
Coca-cola, Pepsi, and Cadbury Schweppes have agreed to stop selling most soft drinks in schools. By 2009, the companies will only sell water, unsweetened juice and low-fat milk in elementary and middle schools. High school students can also get diet and sports drinks
With more than one-fourth of all Utah elementary and middle school students overweight, nutrition experts say eliminating empty sugar calories will help Utah kids be healthier.
Julie Metos, MPH, RD, Chairperson, Utah Action for Healthy Kids: "This is a huge deal. We don't know how much of difference this will make in childhood obesity, but it will definitely make a difference in the nutritional intake of children. And we anticipate it will make a big difference in childhood obesity."
This sophomore doesn't think it will work.
"It won't work. Teenagers don't need to be taking Diet Cokes or nothing like that, that's why there's sports."
Students may benefit from fewer sweet sodas, but some educators say losing the revenue brought in from those soft drinks will hurt.
The soda distributor at Highland High School pays the school 10 thousand dollars right at the beginning of the school year. It's money that the principal can use for extra curricular activities, things like the school band, cheerleading and the school play -- money that's going to be hard to replace.
Paul Schulte, Principal of Highland High School: "As a principal you are concerned to be able to do those types of things for kids, because it all goes back to the kids, but we can't fund it and have obese kids. So that's the balance everybody has to strike."
Other schools, like East and Jordan High, get similar incentives and commissions on each case that is sold. School officials admit losing that extra revenue will be tough, but healthier kids will be the reward.
It isn't clear just when the changes might happen locally. Officials say they'll leave individual contract matters up to districts.
This agreement affects sales during the school day. At after-school activities at school events where adults are present, like plays and football games, soft drinks will still be sold.
