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An audit commissioned by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli finds that some school districts throughout the state continue to provide students ample access to junk food, which undermines efforts to improve school nutrition in the state, Long Island Newsday reports. Based on an assessment conducted between September 1, 2007, and October 31, 2008, of 20 New York school districts, the audit determined that schools continue to sell junk food in vending machines and through other outlets, often in violation of their own nutrition policies. Specifically, the audit reveals that about 5 percent of food items stocked in vending machines failed to meet nutritional guidelines adopted by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Although all 20 schools “had adopted required wellness policies and provided school lunch programs that meet National School Lunch Program guidelines,” with 16 school districts even establishing an active nutrition advisory committee, four school districts had no guidelines in place to address the availability of competitive foods and beverages in schools. Moreover, 12 of the 16 school districts that had established such policies were in breach of their own guidelines. The audit includes eight recommendations for reform, including a partnership between school districts and the SED to identify uniform standards for use in wellness policies and an amendment of policies to include guidance on competitive foods. The audit also recommends that school districts develop a plan to measure implementation and compliance of such policies. Finally, the audit suggests that school districts establish and maintain an active nutrition advisory committee. According to Long Island Newsday, a number of school district officials have agreed with the audit’s findings and expect to review existing policy and possibly implement the various recommendations. Praising the report, Nancy Huehnergarth, director of the New York State Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Alliance, notes that “it’s troubling that junk food continues to be readily available at so many of our schools, in spite of SED regulations and a local wellness policy requirement.” She adds that “with more than 25 percent of New York’s children classified as obese, state legislators, who have been unable to pass statewide school nutrition standards, should take notice” (Sinco Kelleher, Long Island Newsday, 9/15/09; Seiler, Albany Times-Union, 9/15/09; Office of Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli audit, September 2009).