June 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 43

publi c hea lth

By Zarnaaz Bashir

Healthy Vending,
Healthy People
Parks can encourage healthy habits
with healthier vending options

ver a year ago, vending machines at the Arling-

ton County Department of Parks, Recreation and
Cultural Resources in Virginia contained the typical assortment of snacks: chips, cookies, sodas, and candy
high in calories, sugar, and fat. Today, unhealthy food choices
are gone.
All vending machines managed by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources
must comply with a healthy vending policy implemented in September 2010 that requires food and
beverages sold meet specific nutrition standards.
Beverages, for example, may not contain more
than 15 grams of added sugar per 250 gram serving. Snacks and food can be no more than 250 calories with no more than 35 percent calories from
fat per serving and no artificial sweeteners. The
new healthy vending policy lists additional guidelines that food and beverages must meet in an effort to improve access to healthier food choices in
their community.
Efforts to ensure that healthful food is available
and easily accessible are critical today, given obesity in both children and adults is a leading health
concern. In 2009, only 34 percent of high school students ate at least two servings of fruit each day, and
only 14 percent ate at least three servings of vegetables daily. Only 23 percent of U.S. adults ate five
or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day
(http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/
publications/AAG/healthy_communities.htm). Data
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recently released 2011 Children's Food Environment State Indicator Report suggests that healthy
food environments for children are lacking and communities need to do more to improve food access,
regulations, and policies to promote healthy eating

and fight childhood obesity (http://www.cdc.gov/
obesity/downloads/ChildrensFoodEnvironment.pdf).
Park and recreation departments have a role to play.
Vending machines are
a convenient way to grab a
quick snack between meals, or in some cases, to replace a meal. With increasing support from parents
and schools to guide food choices in a healthy way,
vending machines are often viewed as a " competitive venue " that offer junk food and undermine efforts for healthy eating. According to recent research
from the University of Michigan and Michigan State
University, students who purchase snack foods from
vending machines have a higher degree of risk for
developing unhealthy dietary habits, which can subsequently lead to obesity and risk of diabetes and
coronary artery disease (Schoolchildren's Consumption of Competitive Foods and Beverages, Excluding
à la Carte, by Kakarala, Keast, and Hoerr). But while
research demonstrates that vending machines typically offer snacks of poor nutritional value, this is not
always the case.
After conducting a rigorous health needs assessment in the community, the Arlington County
Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources identified the need to improve access to
healthier food choices within their community. They

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