One in four U.S. public high school students could buy regular
soda in school during the 2010-11 school year, down from more
than half who could do so just four years earlier, according to
a new study published today in the Archives of Pediatrics and
Adolescent Medicine. The percentage of students in middle school
who could buy soda also decreased, from 27 percent in 2006-07 to
13 percent in 2010-11. Despite schools’ progress in removing
sodas, many middle and high school students still have
widespread access to other sugary beverages, such as fruit
drinks and sports drinks. In the 2010-11 school year, 63 percent
of middle and 88 percent of high school students could buy some
type of sugary drink at school. The study examined the
availability of competitive beverages in U.S. middle and high
schools for five academic years, from 2006–07 to 2010–11.
Competitive beverages are those sold by schools outside of meal
programs, through vending machines, à la carte lines in the
cafeteria, school stores, and snack bars