A sidebar provides demographic information and describes the three schools in the complex. When children choose snack foods from vending machines over low-fat milk, pasta, and other school lunch menu items, nutritionists worry. According to industry statistics, an estimated 20,000 schools have vending machines in their corridors, common areas, and gymnasiums. Vending machines are big money, both to the companies who vend and to the schools that house the machines. Federal and state governments heavily regulate where and how vending machines can be used.
State laws are often stricter than regulations from the federal government.
Soda pop is the item that concerns nutritionists the most. The Center for Science in the Public Interest released a study on the perils of excessive soft drink consumption among teens. However, large soda companies are offering increasingly lucrative deals to schools to sell their products exclusively, and schools are increasingly looking for ways to bring in money other than tax dollars. Another problem with eliminating the machines is that the students want them. To avoid long lunch lines, some prefer to buy chips and soda at vending machines.