Edmonton public schools go junk food free

Edmonton's190 public schools are banning the sale of unhealthy snack foods in cafeterias, canteens and vending machines.

"Iwas appalled that while we were preaching the message of the importance of children leading healthy, active lifestyles, we were continuing to sell children food that was quite obviously unhealthy," said board chairmanDave Colburn.

Colburn started fighting for the ban five years ago when he became upset by the unhealthy food his daughter couldobtain at school. Unhealthy foods are thosehigh in fat, salt and sugar, but low in nutritional content

Last fall public schools removed junk food from vending machines. This year junk food will be removed from junior-high canteens and high-school cafeterias.

"Students from kindergarten to Grade 12 will see healhy food products, low in fat, salt and sugar and high in nutritional content or valuebeing offered exclusively in Edmontonpublic schools," Colburn said.

"There will be no junk food sales: no pop, no potato chips, no chocolate bars."

Banning junk food normalizes healthy eatingfor studentsas they work their way through the schoolsystem and helps them learn better, said Colburn.

"There is a growing body of evidence thatimproving the nutritional practices of children leads to improved academic achievement."

The policy won'tcompletely ban junk foodas students are still allowed to bring whatever they want from home.