November, 15 2011, 12:00pm EDT
Congress Protects Pizza as a Vegetable in School Lunches
Statement of CSPI Nutrition Policy Director Margo G. Wootan
WASHINGTON
It's a shame that Congress seems more interested in protecting industry than protecting children's health.
At a time when child nutrition and childhood obesity are national health concerns, Congress should be supporting USDA and school efforts to serve healthier school meals, not undermining them. Together, the school lunch riders in the agriculture spending bill would protect industry's ability to keep pizza and French fries on school lunch trays every day of the week to the detriment of children's health.
If finalized, this legislation may go down in nutritional history as a bigger blunder than when the Reagan Administration tried (but failed) to credit ketchup as a vegetable in the school lunch program. Pizza should be served with a vegetable, not count as one.
Since 1971, the Center for Science in the Public Interest has been a strong advocate for nutrition and health, food safety, alcohol policy, and sound science.
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