School Snack Laws Not Definitively Curbing Child Obesity

But docs remain optimistic

School rules that prohibit the sales of junk food and sweetened drinks may help curb childhood obesity, according to a new study. Though the results are flawed, doctors are still acknowledging the room for success. "What are the downsides of improving the food environment for children today? You can't get much worse than it already is," said Dr. David Ludwig, an obesity specialist at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital. The study isn't proof that the laws influenced kids' weight, but results showed that children gained less weight from fifth through eighth grades if they lived in states with strong school snack laws versus no laws. Also, children who were overweight in fifth grade were more likely to reach a healthy weight by eighth grade if they lived in states with the strongest laws. The laws governed food and drinks sold in public school vending machines and school stores, outside of mealtime. (AP)

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