Show You Are re What at You Eat at Martha Carter Contributing Writer On each floor of the Technical Building at Salt Lake Community College there are vending machines stocked with soda candy doughnuts chips and other snacks with little or no nutritional value These machines located in nearly every public school have become the subject of recent criticism which has gone all alI the way to the state legislature As obesity becomes a national epidemic parents and health officials are concerned that their children children children chil chil- dren are not receiving the proper nutrition they need Vending machines now in elementary schools are particularly threatening Soda oda and candy companies are able to hook kids at a ayoung ayoung ayoung young age and out of the supervision of their par par- Many would like to see the machines banned altogether Laurie Felt mother of four doesn't give her children children children chil chil- dren cash for lunch any any- more Instead she opens an account which can only be used for school lunch It scares me because I cant can't be sure what they're eating Theres There's way too much sugar in all alI that soda and candy And I want to tobe tobe tobe be sure my kids arc are getting nutritional meals Schools are not quick to comply Vending machines make a lot of money Money which the schools are not ready to sacrifice House Bill Number 47 was desi designed ned to place more nutritional snacks in inthe inthe inthe the machines Presented by the PTA Morningside Elementary Salt Lake Dental Alliance and Utah Pediatric Society the bill targets elementary and secondary secondary secondary sec sec- schools It encourages school boards to have a hearing concerning nutrition health and physical tion Each school board may then set their own policies concerning these f SACKS N. N z e eJ J c i II t R 0 o c Each building on the campus has an array of vending vending vending vend vend- ing machine options that students frequent issues issues The bill also requires schools to report all alI revenue revenue revenue rev rev- from vending machines and the use of the money by the school Ultimately the decision has been left in the hands of the school board As the number of overweight children children children chil chil- dren continues to grow parents are hopeful that their decisions will motivate motivate motivate moti moti- vate a change Says Laurie Felt more important tant A little extra money or my childrens children's health |