Sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders would be able to buy only milk, fruit juice and sports drinks at school under soda-banning legislation on Gov. Davis' desk.

High schools would not be affected. Half of the 22 middle and junior high schools in Stanislaus County allow Coke and Pepsi vending machine sales during the school day, and those would be cut off.

Some school officials expressed reservations about the proposed ban, because the profits from such sales help student clubs and sports teams pay for special events.

If the vending machines are unplugged, student groups may turn to other fund-raisers, such as candy sales, to make money.

"Is that going to solve the problem of obesity?" asked Scott Siegel, assistant superintendent of business services in the Ceres Unified School District. "I don't know."

But health officials said the ban would be a good move, because soda should be a treat, and should not be consumed in place of milk and water.

Phoebe Leung, director of the Stanislaus County Health Services Agency, said schools should set a good example by limiting access to soda and junk food, not just talking about nutrition in health classes.

She also noted that obesity is a leading cause of Type 2 diabetes, which is on the rise among children.

"We feel that the consumption of soda is a contributing factor to the epidemic of childhood obes-ity," said Leung, who is a registered dietitian.

Leung offered the following statistics, culled from studies by the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the U.S. Department of Agriculture:

Teen-age boys drink about 800 cans of soda each year. That is 75 gallons, or 2.2 12-ounce cans per day.

Teen-age girls drink about 620 cans of soda each year. That is about 58 gallons, or 1.7 12-ounce cans per day.

Americans spend $54 billion a year on soda, about twice as much as they spend on books.

High schools originally included

Soda sales already are banned in elementary schools, and state Sen. Deborah Ortiz, D-Sacramento, sought to extend the ban through high school.

An amendment made her legislation applicable to the middle grades only, and the measure cleared the Legislature on Tuesday.

Davis has until Oct. 12 to sign or veto the bill, and spokesman Russ Lopez said his boss had not taken a position on the soda ban.

If approved, the new rule would take effect July 1.

Schools would be able to sell soda only a half hour before school starts, a half hour after school ends and at school-sponsored events. And fruit drinks would have to have at least 50 percent fruit juice and no artificial sweeteners.

The Assembly approved the bill on a 42-32 vote. Assemblymen Greg Aghazarian, R-Stockton, and Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto, voted no; Assemblywoman Barbara Matthews, D-Tracy, voted yes.

The Senate approved the bill on a 22-14 vote. Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Salinas, voted no. Denham's district includes much of the Northern San Joaquin Valley.

School officials said the bill never would have passed if sponsors had not dropped the high school ban.

Vending machines lucrative

High school vending machines are the big profit makers. A Modesto High School-Pepsi Bottling Group contract, approved in the spring, is expected to generate $254,130 for the student body over five years.

Soda sales are allowed at all of Modesto's middle and junior high schools: La Loma, Mark Twain, Roosevelt and Hanshaw.

Students also can buy sodas at Blaker-Kinser Junior High School in Ceres, Hickman Middle School and Ross Middle School in Hughson.

Oakdale Junior High School permits soda sales, but has not had any available since vending machines were damaged in the spring.

Salida Middle School sells soda at lunch, but officials plan to ask the board of trustees to ban the sales this year.

Dutcher Middle School in Turlock and Turlock Junior High School also allow soda sales.

To Empire Union School District Superintendent Bob Price, the soda ban is a good idea.

He said his district removed soda machines three years ago because officials felt the machines sent children the wrong nutritional message.

The change has not had a big financial impact, he said, because students buy juice, milk and water instead.

"They'll take whatever we sell," Price said.

Bee staff writer Susan Herendeen can be reached at 578-2338 or sherendeen@modbee.com.

Reprinted by permission of Modesto Bee.