TABLE 3—

Statutory Restrictions and Government Guidelines on Food Product Sales in Schools Worldwide, 2004–2006

Country	Code/Law/Proposala	Distinct Characteristics	Notes on Development and Implementation
Canada	New government guidelines in 6 provinces(legally nonbinding)49–52,b	Each defines foods and drinks that can or cannot be sold in schools	Other provinces (out of a total of 10) also discussing implementing restrictions Guidelines are not legally binding, so it is not clear how they will be enforced
Brazil	New law in the Federal District (Brasilia)c	Prohibits sale of listed nutrient-poor foods	Passage was delayed after lobbying by the industry
Fiji	School Canteen Guidelines53	Require that foods sold in school canteensand vending machines should follow nutritional standards set by the National Food and Nutrition Centre, effectively prohibiting many high-fat, sweetened foods from schools, including sweetened soft drinks in vending machines	Guidelines developed by the National Food and Nutrition Centre and theMinistries of Health and Education, in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Communities and UNICEF in line with the School Nutrition Policy developed in 2006 Will be monitored through regular school visits by the Ministry of Health
France	New legislation in the Public Health Code— article 30 (2004)37	Prohibits vending machines that sell foods and drinks in schools and colleges	Included in same law as that regulating advertising but subject to less opposition
United Kingdom	Education and Inspections Bill (March2006; implemented September 2006)54 School healthy eating guidelines issued by the government’s advisory body, the School Food Trust—e.g., “Eat Better, Do Better” (June 2006)55	Bill states “all food and drink provided onthe premises” of state (public) schools must comply with healthy eating guidelines Healthy eating guidelines issued by School Food Trust prohibit the sale of confectionary, most savory snacks (other than nuts and seeds), and sweetened soft drinks in schools	Efforts have also been made by individual schools and local authorities to improve nutritional quality of school meals
United States	New or revised state laws in 15 states56	Created new or tightened existing legal guidelines on soft drink sales in schools, but tended not to ban soft drinks nor the use of vending machines in schools	Food industry lobbied strongly against the laws Regulations specify what proportion of which soft drinks can be sold in vending machines

Note. UNICEF = United Nations Children’s Fund.

^aExamples of self-regulatory activity on food marketing and statutory regulation not specific to food are available as a supplement to the online version of this article at http://www.ajph.org. More information about regulatory activity can be found in reference 106.

^bR. Allen, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, and Ontario Society of Nutritional Professionals in Public Health, written communication, March 6, 2006.

^cJ. G. Coutinho, Ministry of Health, Brazil, written communication, October 25, 2005.