Study: Healthy A la Carte Improves Diets

When schools offer healthier snacks in vending machines and a la carte lines, students’ overall diets improve, according to a recent study conducted by researchers from Michigan State University, Oakland University, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Education. It found that students in schools that offered healthier snacks consumed more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and not just at school, but at home, too.

The study comes on the heels of other research that has reached similar conclusions about the effectiveness of establishing healthy eating habits at an early age. According to a recent study in the journal Pediatrics, children aged 11 to 16 are now eating more fruits and vegetables and consuming less sugar, getting more physical activity, and starting their days with a healthy breakfast. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control is reporting that obesity rates among low-income children appears to be declining, in some states for the first time in decades.