As we first reported in our Leader-exclusive Inside Track newsletter this week, a new study finds that policies that restrict the sale of unhealthy snacks and beverages in schools help kids gain less weight. Produced by our friends at Bridging the Gap, the study shows that children and teens in states with strong laws restricting school-based sales of unhealthy snacks and beverages gained less weight over a three-year period than young people in states with no such policies.
CDC Unveils State-by-State Obesity Stats
Mississippi is the most obese state in the nation and Colorado is the least — but all states have obesity rates of at least 20 percent, the Huffington Post reports. New data unveiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that more than 35 percent of U.S. adults are now considered obese.
Portland Schools Stops Selling Soda, Other Unhealthy Snacks
Schools in Portland, Maine will implement new nutrition standards this year designed to curb junk food from being offered on campus, at school-sponsored events and even in the teachers’ lounges. The Portland Press Herald reports that this policy means that soda and unhealthy snacks and beverages no longer will be offered for sale, although students or teachers can still bring these products to campus on their own.
“Marshmallow Test” Could Predict Adult Obesity
A decades-old study could help researchers predict obesity rates in adults, the Atlantic reports. In the “marshmallow test” of the 1960s, preschoolers were given one marshmallow, and told that they could eat it immediately or wait for an unspecified amount of time and receive a second marshmallow. Following up with the students decades later, researchers found that the amount of time the child waited correlated to their current body mass index (BMI).
Americans Living Longer, But Obesity Threatens Longevity
Older Americans are living longer than in previous generations, but obesity and high housing costs are threatening life expectancy, UPI reports. Obesity increases risks for several life-threatening diseases, UPI notes.
British Political Party Considers SSB Taxes
Liberal Democrats in Great Britain are considering “fiscal measures such as the taxation of heavily sugared drinks” in an effort to combat the nation’s soaring obesity rates, the Telegraph reports. A motion on the plan is scheduled for Sept. 23.
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