Not High on the List

The U.S. military has identified a new adversary -- sugary drinks:

three quarters of all young Americans are ineligible for military service because they’re overweight or obese, and consumption of sugary drinks is a leading cause of obesity among children and adults

Unfortunately, California public schools are not helping [bold added]:

despite state and federal regulations requiring schools to provide free, clean drinking water to students during school mealtimes, one study found that one out of every four California schools does not provide water to students where food is served.

Even when water was available, a survey revealed that many students did not partake. The top three reasons:

The water in the fountains or dispensers is not cold.

Schools do not have enough water fountains for the number of students.

Water fountains or dispensers are poorly maintained.

The law was enacted in September, 2010 with an effective date of July 1, 2011. Unlike private entities who would be subject to fines, many public schools are in no hurry to comply. Inculcating long-term health habits is apparently not high on the list of priorities.