Among the report's findings:
- The number of states prohibiting junk foods in vending
machines in schools rose from 8 percent in 2000 to 32 percent in
2006; the percentage of school districts with such prohibitions
rose from 4 percent to 30 percent during the same time
frame.
- 46 percent of schools sold water in vending machines or
school stores in 2006, up from 30 percent in 2000.
- 12 percent of states required elementary schools to provide
regularly scheduled recesses in 2006, up from 4 percent in 2000;
the percentage of school districts with this requirement rose
from 46 percent to 57 percent.
- Almost two-thirds (64 percent) of schools prohibited tobacco
use in all school locations, including off-campus, and
school-sponsored events in 2006, compared to 46 percent in
2000.
- 25 percent of schools had vending machines with cookies,
cakes and other high-fat baked goods in 2006, versus 38 percent
in 2000.
- Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of schools offered salads
a la carte in 2006, compared with 53 percent in 2000.
- 19 percent of schools offered French fries a la carte in
2006, down from 40 percent in 2000.
That's the good news. The 2006 review also turned up some
less-heartening news:
- Only 4 percent of elementary schools, 8 percent of middle
schools and 2 percent of high schools provided daily physical
education for the entire year for students in all grades.
- 22 percent of schools did not require students to take any
physical education.
- 36 percent of schools did not prohibit tobacco use in all
locations all the time.
- 77 percent of high schools still sold drinks that weren't 100
percent juice, and 61 percent sold high-fat salty snacks in
vending machines or school stores.
"If we want to build on the improvements that schools have made
over the past six years, we need to involve many people and
programs," said Howell Wechsler, director of the CDC's Division of
Adolescent and School Health. "Families, schools, school boards,
and school administrators all need to work together to develop and
implement policies and programs that promote health and safety
among our nation's young people."
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