A ban on vending machines in schools can lead to increased soda and fast-food consumption if its the only change in a school’s food policy, say researchers at the UI-Chicago. The study, published online in the journal PLOS ONE, looked at soda and food consumption in combination with sales taxes and other factors. The found that 23 percent of students reported drinking at least one regular soda per day if the drinks were available at school, compared to a 28 percent rate for students who attended a school with a ban on sales. When sales taxes were low students were more likely to buy soda and fast food outside of school.
“When more comprehensive changes were implemented, there were no unintended effects,” said Daniel Taber, the lead author of the study. He said there can be “unintended effects when you only make small-scale changes.” UI-Chicago said other studies show that long-term, comprehensive changes in school food, including stronger standards for meal, “can have a positive impact on students’ health.”