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By SUSAN M. COVER
Staff Writer 11/28/2007

They've switched to sports drinks and flavored water, some of which can be deceptively high in calories, said Janet Whatley Blum, a University of Southern Maine professor in the Department of Exercise, Health and Sport Sciences.

"It's great they got soda out of schools, but there's still sugar-sweetened beverages in schools," she said Tuesday following a speech at the Augusta Civic Center.

Blum kicked off Tuesday's daylong conference on obesity sponsored by the Maine-Harvard Prevention Research Center. She presented findings from a study conducted at 11 Maine high schools that looked to see what impact a 2005 state rule had on soda and candy in schools.

The rule extends the regulation of "foods of minimal nutritional value" from only the school day to 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It applies to schools that participate in the federal meal programs.

And though the rule seeks to regulate candy and soda on school property, local school boards could, and did, carve out exceptions, Blum said.

Some opted to allow soda and candy machines in the teachers' lounge and to allow the sale of those items at events open to the public. Also, school boards can vote to exempt culinary arts programs.

By surveying school food service directors and visiting the schools, Blum found that, although schools pulled soda from their vending machines, other sugar-filled options remain.

In the 11 schools observed, sugar-sweetened beverages accounted for 32 percent of all beverages in vending programs, she said. And candy is still being sold in school stores even though it's not supposed to be, according to the state Department of Education.

For those who work in schools, the transition to healthier offerings wasn't easy.

"The kids whined," said Lori Muzzy, a food service director for the Rangeley Lakes Regional School. "Their parents whined."

Eventually, the whining stopped and Muzzy said she successfully works with vendors to substitute better choices.

In Augusta, Director of School Nutrition Programs Barbara Raymond-Nichols said she wants to be more aggressive in trying to change the way students eat.

"I'm not in favor of banning birthday cakes, but it's time we start getting kids more active and teach them how to select foods," she said.

Adults also need to lead by example, she said.

Which brings us to the teachers lounge, where Blum and her crew snapped pictures of soda machines and vending machines stuffed full of chips, candy bars and other goodies.

They also found baskets of candy on the desks of teachers, guidance counselors and principals.

And then there's the all-you-can-eat pizza, french fry and soda buffet across the street from one of the state's high schools -- Blum didn't say which.

She said it might be time to consider additional steps to fight obesity. And she said the message needs to extend beyond the schoolhouse door and into the home.

"In general, I see schools doing a very good job or moving in that direction, to have kids be in a healthy food environment," she said.

Susan Cover -- 623-1056

scover@centralmaine.com

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