SACRAMENTO – State Sen. Mike McGuire’s legislation that helps fight an epidemic that has hit California kids – childhood obesity – by putting California in the lead when it comes to healthy food available to schools in every corner of the state, has been signed by Gov. Jerry Brown.

According to the Center for Disease Control, American childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years.

Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults and are therefore more at risk for adult health problems.

Schools play a critical role in establishing a safe and supportive environment with policies and practices that support healthy eating behaviors.

“California has been a national model for state policies that strengthen and improve the nutritional quality of foods offered in schools,” Sen. McGuire said. “This legislation helps support local schools by expanding the variety of healthy items that can be sold to students and allows the districts the flexibility to determine the best way to communicate their school wellness policies to families.”

Sen. McGuire’s SB 1169 expands the variety of healthy items that can be sold in schools. These items must meet all current nutritional standards.

For example, items may include beef jerky, edamame, dried soybeans, dried/roasted chickpeas, hummus and dried fruit.

It also caps the calorie limit at 200 for snacks that can be sold during the school day. And it allows a school and district flexibility to determine the best ways to communicate their local school wellness policy to their community.

Increasing the balanced, healthy meals and snacks that are sold in schools will help ensure that every child has access to the nutrition they need to grow into healthy adults.

By providing healthy choices at schools, the state is taking another step towards the goal of reducing childhood obesity and health risks for California’s children.

The legislation was supported by California State Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlakson.