DENVER – The nation’s leanest state is taking its sweet time as it considers a proposal aimed at getting junk food out of schools.
A Colorado House committee was expected to discuss a bill that represents the nation’s toughest regulations meant to keep trans fat away from students, but lawmakers Thursday delayed the hearing without explanation.
The bill would forbid trans fat in cafeteria lunches — but it wouldn’t stop there.
The proposed ban would apply to snacks in vending machines, bake sale goodies and popular “a la carte” items on lunch lines such as ice creams or pizza, requiring any such treats to be prepared without artery-clogging trans fats.
Small amounts of trans fats occur naturally in many meat and dairy products, but most come from partially hydrogenated cooking oil. Many types of cooking fats, such as shortening, are available without trans fat.
Colorado’s measure would not apply to naturally occurring trans fats. But setting the proposal apart from other states with similar restrictions is a provision that extends to before- and after-school hours.
Delaware and California, for example, both ban school food with trans fat, but not at all after-school activities.
Colorado has the nation’s lowest obesity rate, but that percentage is rising among young
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