Five elementary schools in Philadelphia jettisoned machines that dispense soda for those that dispense juice, cracked down on candy sales and junk food, and gave prizes to pupils who ate roughage. Mirabile dictu, after two years their students were less fat! So concludes a study that will be released in the April issue of Pediatrics. Certainly it's wonderful to be reminded that healthful food leads to healthier kids, but it's scarcely news. Watch the scholarly "literature" for a study to ascertain whether schools with roofs keep students dryer than open-air classrooms.
"Philadelphia School Program Stopped Weight Gain in 2-Year Experiment," Associated Press, April 7, 2008