Health and education advocates in Nevada are taking federal regulations, which require foods and drinks sold in school vending machines and a la carte lines to be healthier, a step further in their effort to strengthen the eating habits and health of that state’s students.Under a newly approved state policy, not only must all items sold to Nevada students in school during the school day meet the federal nutrition standards, but all food marketing in the schools must also be consistent with the standard. That means no posters, coupons or fundraising efforts promoting unhealthy beverages, candy, or high-fat pizza can appear in the schools.

“We worked to create a policy that not only helped schools meet the new federal standards, it took it one step further to not allow junk-food marketing,” says Ben Schmauss, the American Heart Association’s government relations director in Nevada.

Eliminating access to and the marketing of junk foods in school helps ensure that students won’t be bombarded with incentives for unhealthy products, thus undoing federal efforts to create healthy-food environments in the schools. In addition, consistent, healthier messaging throughout the school day is important for all children and is particularly crucial for those who live in lower socio-economic neighborhoods with greater frequency of junk-food marketing.

Thus far, Nevada health advocates have heard many positive anecdotes of parents who are happy with the new standard because it supports what they’re doing to provide healthy foods at home and educate their children on the importance of good nutrition. Ultimately, the policy will have an impact on the health of students and promote healthier behaviors — behaviors they will carry with them for life.