A Report to Congress
November 15th, 2006

Under Secretary Nancy Montanez Johner
Food and Nutrition Services
Center for Nutrtion Policy and Promotion
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20250

Dear Ms. Under Secretary Johner:

We are pleased to provide the enclosed report, Invaders in the Cafeteria: The Infiltration of Competitive Foods in Public Schools. This report reviews the effects of competitive foods on public school meal programs, assesses the feasibility of alternative actions, addresses the obstacles of these actions and, finally, recommends the best strategies to remedy the effects of intensive marketing in our schools.

This report makes it clear that the food sold in competition with school meals jeopardizes the nutritional effectiveness of the school meal programs and is a contributor to the trend of unhealthy eating practices among children. The consumption of these competitive foods is of special concern to those who support the school meal program because these foods undermine the ability of the school meal programs to contribute positively to the health, well-being, and academic achievement of our nation's children.

The report also includes the positions of several national health and education organizations that have expressed concerns about the prevalence of competitive foods in schools. It is vital that the government takes the initiative to develop nutrtionally healthy environments in our public schools and reinforce positive healthy eating habits for children, their families and their community. The report concludes with strategies for developing meaningful competitive foods policies within our pulic schools.

We welcome the opportunity to work with you on these issues.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Mc Nelis
Sheila Broadley
Jimmy Martell
Food for Thought, Advocates for Healthy Children
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