Tell USDA: Kids are sweet enough

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accepting comments from the public that will impact the department's thinking on updating the school meal nutrition standards to be consistent with the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Please submit your comment to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack by adding your name below. We encourage you to personalize your comment.

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Mr.

Thomas

Vilsack

USDA

Dear Secretary Vilsack:

I urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ensure school meals meet standards for added sugars, sodium, and whole grains in rulemaking expected later this year to align school meals with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).

School meals must support children's health and help cultivate life-long healthy eating habits by following the DGA, as required by law. These meals have become even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic as more children have qualified due to economic hardship. Studies have shown school meals are the healthiest source of food for children, and schools and the food industry have significantly improved the nutritional quality of meals. The major K-12 companies can also easily meet these stronger nutrition standards. We must continue to build on this progress and not go backward.

The USDA must:

1.	Establish a new added sugars standard for school meals consistent with the 2020 DGA and establish a similar standard for competitive foods (Smart Snacks). Among children, intake of added sugars has been associated with weight gain, dental decay, and an increase in risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Both the 2015 and 2020 DGA have recommended that no more than 10 percent of daily calories come from added sugars. In the absence of a requirement to limit added sugars, school meals contain added sugars in excess of the limit recommended by the DGA. Nine out of ten schools exceed the 2020 DGA limit for added sugars for breakfast meals, and nearly seven out of ten schools exceed the limit for lunch. At current levels, a typical school breakfast can exceed an entire day's worth of added sugars for a young child. In addition, in setting such a standard, I urge the USDA to eliminate low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) of concern--aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, and sucralose--that could replace added sugars in foods.

2.	Establish sodium reduction targets aligned with the 2020 DGA recommendations for safe sodium consumption. Nine out of ten children consume too much sodium, increasing their risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke over time. At current levels, the interim target established in this final rule for a high school lunch (Target 1a) only brings down the amount of sodium to 1,280 mg, or over half a day's worth of sodium for a teenager. I was disappointed that the final rule effectively removed sodium reduction (Targets 2 and 3) but expect that the USDA will put in its absence new sodium reduction targets and timeline. Prior to the pandemic, many schools were at or very close to meeting the next step in sodium reduction (Target 2). The USDA could re-establish the previous targets, along with a further sodium reduction target for younger children, or alternatively consider new targets.

3.	Establish a whole grain requirement consistent with the 2020 DGA. The DGA recommends that at least half of grains consumed be whole. The 100 percent whole-grain-rich requirement (all grains be at least 50-percent whole grain) is consistent with the 2020 DGA. If the USDA considers an alternative to the 100 percent whole-grain-rich requirement, the standard must be consistent with the 2020 DGA. Eating more whole grains is associated with reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, provides more nutrients, and is a healthful source of fiber. Children do not meet the recommended intake for whole grains and exceed the recommended limit for refined grains. Prior to the pandemic, the vast majority of schools were meeting the whole grain-rich standard.

Sincerely,

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