USDA Proposes to Limit Added Sugars and Sodium in Public School Meals

Pizzas available for lunch are seen in the kitchen at Jones College Prep High School April 20, 2004 in Chicago, Ill. Tim Boyle/Getty Images

Schools should be required to limit the amount of salt and sugar in meals that are served to students, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday as part of a new proposal.

In a news release, the USDA said that it is proposing to gradually reduce the amount of both sodium and sugar in school meals as part of a “gradual, multi-year approach.”

“Our commitment to the school meal programs comes from a common goal we all share–keeping kids healthy and helping them reach their full potential,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Many children aren’t getting the nutrition they need, and diet-related diseases are on the rise. Research shows school meals are the healthiest meals in a day for most kids, proving that they are an important tool for giving kids access to the nutrition they need for a bright future.”

“We must all step up to support child health if we are to achieve the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of ending hunger and reducing diet-related diseases by 2030, in accordance with the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. Strengthening school meals is one of the best ways we can achieve that goal,” he added.

Under the guidelines, schools would have to also have to emphasize serving products that are made with whole grains over a multiyear transition period. And flavored milk, including chocolate milk, would still be allowed under certain circumstances, according to the release.

Authorities with the USDA said that when meeting with parents and teachers, they heard concerns about the amount of added sugar in school breakfasts.

More than 15 million kids every day get breakfast at school while about 30 million get a school lunch, Vilsack told CNN on Friday. He noted that as for whole grains, there will still be options for a non-whole grain item.

“Maybe a biscuit can be instituted for a little variety, or grits can be provided where that may make sense from a geographic standpoint. You are sensitive to cultural demands and needs,” Vilsack said.

Obesity Connection?

Childhood obesity has increased in recent years, impacting more than 14.4 million young Americans, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The organization last month released new guidelines to deal with childhood obesity and placed emphasis on proactive measures.

“Research tells us that we need to take a close look at families ... where they live, their access to nutritious food, health care and opportunities for physical activity--as well as other factors that are associated with health, quality-of- life outcomes and risks,“ Dr. Hampl, chair of the Clinical Practice Guideline Subcommittee on Obesity, said in a statement last month. ”Our kids need the medical support, understanding and resources we can provide within a treatment plan that involves the whole family.”

About a year before that, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released an overlooked report saying children and teens gained weight at a high rate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Among a cohort of 432,302 persons aged 2–19 years, the rate of body mass index increase approximately doubled during the pandemic compared to a prepandemic period. Persons with prepandemic overweight or obesity and younger school-aged children experienced the largest increases,” the CDC said in late 2021.

In response to the USDA’s proposal, the American Heart Association said that children are consuming too much sodium, meaning that the guidelines to cut salt is welcome. As for added sugars, it noted that they “are a significant source of excess calories” and “provide no nutritional value.”

“The updated standards also would continue critical reductions of sodium in school meals. More than 90 percent of children consume too much sodium, and taste preferences–including those for salty food–begin early in life,” the organization stated.

By law, the USDA is required to set standards for food and beverages that are served at schools.