Sugary beverages hard to find in Boston Public Schools

Boston Public Schools are ahead of the curve when it comes to banning sales of sugary beverages, according to a new study led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study found that nearly all schools in the system were compliant with 2004 district guidelines eliminating sales of soda, fruit punch, and other high calorie drinks in vending and à la carte settings. As a result, only 4% of Boston students had access to sugar-sweetened beverages during the 2013 study period.

The study was published in Preventing Chronic Disease, a publication of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on March 3, 2016.

Around 40% of school districts nationwide ban soda, and fewer than 20% ban other sugary beverages such as fruit drinks and flavored water, according to the study.

Lead author Rebecca S. Mozaffarian, a nutrition researcher at Harvard Chan School, told the Boston Globe that Boston’s success can help guide implementation of new federal rules on beverage sales at school.

Read Boston Globe article: Chances are, Boston schools are safe from sugary drinks