Another Food Myth

Study Finds No Link Between Junk Food in Schools and Childhood Obesity

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University tracked the body mass indexes of 19,450 students from fifth through eighth grade. In fifth grade, 59 percent of the children attended a school where candy, snacks or sugar-sweetened beverages were sold. By eighth grade, 86 percent did so.

The researchers compared children’s weight in schools where junk food was sold and in schools where it was banned. The scientists also evaluated eighth graders who moved into schools that sold junk food with those who did not, and children who never attended a school that sold snacks with those who did. And they compared children who always attended schools with snacks with those who moved out of such schools.

No matter how the researchers looked at the data, they could find no correlation at all between obesity and attending a school where sweets and salty snacks were available.

“Food preferences are established early in life,” said Jennifer Van Hook, the lead author and a professor of sociology and demography at Penn State. “This problem of childhood obesity cannot be placed solely in the hands of schools.”

Oh, look, a cup cake!

I hereby predict that lack of evidence will not stop the nanny statists from trying to impose their vision of the correct diet on unwilling students.

At my High School they actually had a vending machine that dispensed apples.  I don't believe I ever saw anyone buy one.


 Wombat-Socho at The Other McCain" lists this, and other slightly naughty posts in his weekly Rule 5 round up, "Lily was Here."