Iowa’s governor on May 20 signed legislation that bars schools from giving students food and drinks with certain synthetic dyes and additives.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, said that she was pleased to sign the bill, “further strengthening our commitment to commonsense steps to improve health and well-being for Iowans in our state.”
House File 2676, or the Iowa Make America Healthy Again Act, bars schools from serving students meals that contain additives such as potassium bromate or synthetic dyes such as Blue Dye No. 1, Green Dye No. 3, and Red Dye No. 40. The colorings have been linked to health issues in research.
It also requires schools to provide more physical education for students and limits the amount of screen time for children in schools.
Additionally, the new law requires medical professionals to take continuing education on nutrition at least every four years to receive license renewals, and requires medical students to complete at least 40 hours of coursework on nutrition and metabolic health.
Further, it bans people from using food stamps to buy candy and soda under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
The food stamp changes had already been made by officials, with authorization from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but the legislation requires Iowa officials to request new waivers for food stamp rules each year, which will likely keep the changes in place.
Reynolds said the bill was necessary because of the number of Iowa residents, including 17 percent of children aged 16 to 17, who are obese, and because Iowans are affected by other chronic illnesses while ranking low on regular physical fitness.
“Altogether, this bill advances the health and wellness for every Iowan today and for generations to come,” the governor said at the signing ceremony in Des Moines.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was among those who attended the event.
“Iowa is showing the country what bold public health leadership looks like by focusing on prevention, nutrition, physical fitness, and healthier lifestyles for the next generation,” said Kennedy, who has promoted a Make America Healthy Again movement since announcing his presidential bid in 2023.
Kennedy later exited the race and endorsed Donald Trump. When Trump won, he selected Kennedy as his health secretary.
Iowa state Sen. Kara Warme, a Republican who sponsored the bill that Reynolds signed, said at the event that the law “refocuses the state’s efforts to improve nutrition and physical activity for all Iowans, but with a special emphasis on our children.”