The program should set strict nutritional guideline in place so that it can provide about 1/3 of the daily nutritional needs of the children. The proliferation of competitive food should be checked so that it does not undermine the child's health. Also , the culture of fast food is a serious concern

Oak View Law Group 

On behalf of the Virginia Association of School Nurses (VASN), I am pleased to provide these written comments in support of the proposed regulations aimed at meeting the requirements of SB 414 (2010) to establish nutritional guidelines for all competitive foods sold to public school students on school grounds during regular school hours and to require that all local school boards adopt these guidelines. School nurses work every day to keep Virginia’s public school students healthy, to prevent the spread of infectious and communicable diseases, and to promote healthy environments in which students can prosper and learn. We are alarmed at the epidemic of overweight and obesity that afflicts more of our students, at every age, each year.

The VASN believes that good nutrition is best for children’s health now and throughout adulthood and that the school environment should aim to deliver that message. We further believe that competitive healthy/nutritive food and beverage choices should be consistent with national nutritional guidelines and that children should have access during school hours only to these nutritional offerings. Further, we believe that inherent in these guidelines should be a strong emphasis on educating students about nutritional choices and their relationship to health. School nurses are in a unique position to reinforce this education and help students make healthy choices throughout their public school education.

The Virginia Association of School Nurses represents the more than 1,200 nurses in Virginia who care for our children during school hours. Our association’s goal is to promote and advance the quality of school health services and health education. Although our organization is not identified in the enabling legislation, we stand by to offer our services in the development of these nutritional guidelines and the implementation of the policies throughout the public schools.

VASN believes that the new regulations will have a positive impact on the health of Virginia’s public school children. While we are in no position to determine the possible impact on small businesses, we believe that the regulations may spark entrepreneurial efforts among these businesses to offer healthy alternative nutritional choices to children. Finally, we would caution the Department to include stakeholder groups such as the VAPTA in the development of these guidelines, because, in the final analysis, parents should support and encourage healthy nutritional choices for their children.