FREDERICTON — New Brunswick students can say goodbye to chocolate milk and juices being sold in public schools as the province unveils changes to its school nutrition policy today.

A government source tells The Canadian Press the new policy applies to all food and beverages sold, served or otherwise offered in New Brunswick public schools.

It requires foods of a higher nutritional value which are lower in saturated fat, sugar and sodium.

The policy applies to breakfast and lunch programs, vending machines, canteens, snacks and fundraisers.

Over the last 12 years, at least six provinces have banned junk food from schools, and a report released last summer said the measure is having a positive impact on student health.

The study by Philip Leonard, a health economist at the University of New Brunswick, found that students banned from making junk food purchases at school for five or more years were, on average, about two pounds lighter than students who did not face a ban.

He said younger students showed the most positive results, but noted that probably stems from the fact that older students have more opportunity to leave the school grounds to get food from other sources.

In 2005, New Brunswick became the first province to impose a junk food ban inside its schools.

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