The great majority of public schools serve breakfasts and lunches that contain higher amounts of added sugar than recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, said a USDA report to Congress. “The main source of added sugars … was flavored fat-free milk, which contributed 29 percent of the added sugars in breakfasts and 47 percent in lunches,” said the report, which was based on meals served during the 2014-15 school year.
The Dietary Guidelines suggest restricting added sugars — defined as sugars added to foods during processing or preparation — to no more than 10 percent of calories consumed each day. The American Heart Association says that added sugars, like other excess calories, can contribute to weight gain.
There is no standard in the school food program at present for total sugars or added sugars.
Some 92 percent of schools served breakfasts and 96 percent served lunches that got more than 10 percent of their calories from added sugars. On average, added sugars accounted for 17 percent of calories in breakfasts, or 88 calories per meal. For lunches, added sugars were an average of 11 percent of calories, or 75 calories in each meal.
For lunches, the only other food group to contribute more than 5 percent of added sugars was condiments and toppings, at 9 percent. For breakfasts, cold cereals accounted for 13 percent of added sugars; condiments and toppings, such as syrup and jams, were 12 percent; muffins and sweet breads were 7 percent; and granola and breakfast bars were 5 percent.