School Beverage Guidelines

“We Have Successfully Changed the Beverage Landscape in Schools Across the Country”

With the National School Beverage Guidelines, we’ve voluntarily removed all full-calorie sodas from schools and replaced them with a range of lower-calorie, nutritious, smaller-portion choices. The School Beverage Guidelines are a national standard that is in place and working. The beverage industry has worked with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation and its school partners to accomplish a change in school nutrition.

On August 16, 2012, Dr. Wescott, along with his co-authors, had a peer-reviewed data analysis published in the American Journal of Public Health. The data, which was updated to go through the end of the 2009-2010 school year, shows that industry continues to deliver in schools across America:

  • Full-calorie soft drinks have been removed. Shipments of full-calorie soft drinks to schools have declined by 97 percent between 2004 and the end of the 2009-2010 school year.
  • We removed full-calorie soft drinks from all K-12 schools. Under the voluntary Guidelines, 100% juice, low-fat milk and bottled water are allowed in elementary and middle schools. In addition to these, low- and no-calorie beverages and calorie-capped sports drinks, flavored waters and teas are allowed in high schools.
  • None of our beverages shipped to schools exceeded 66 calories per 8 ounces, except 100% juices. These juices are portion controlled to 8 ounces in elementary schools, 10 ounces in middle schools and 12 ounces in high schools.
  • We reduced beverage calories shipped to schools by 90% between 2004 and the 2009-2010 school year.*

*Data compiled by Keybridge Research and published in the American Journal of Public Health (Aug. 16, 2012)