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. 2000 Jul-Aug;115(4):308–319. doi: 10.1093/phr/115.4.308

Soft Drink “Pouring Rights”: Marketing Empty Calories to Children

Marion Nestle
PMCID: PMC1308570  PMID: 11059423

Abstract

Healthy People 2010 objectives call for meals and snacks served in schools to contribute to overall diets that meet federal dietary guidelines. Sales in schools of foods and drinks high in calories and low in nutrients undermine this health objective, as well as participation in the more nutritious, federally sponsored, school lunch programs. Competitive foods also undermine nutrition information taught in the classroom. Lucrative contracts between school districts and soft drink companies for exclusive rights to sell one brand are the latest development in the increasing commercialization of school food. These contracts, intended to elicit brand loyalty among young children who have a lifetime of purchases ahead of them, are especially questionable because they place schools in the position of “pushing” soft drink consumption. “Pouring rights” contracts deserve attention from public health professionals concerned about the nutritional quality of children's diets.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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