WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - Federal school lunch programs are implementing new restrictions this year to limit added sugars and salt while requiring that a majority of grains served be whole grains. The changes aim to improve the nutritional quality of meals for the millions of students who participate in the free and reduced-priced meal program. The new requirements come as the Trump administration introduces a new food pyramid focused on whole foods, protein and a reduction in ultra-processed items. More than 40% of American children suffer from at least one chronic condition and nearly one in five teenagers currently has fatty liver disease, according to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy Jr. has criticized previous federal nutritional standards for being too lenient on sugar. "The taste of federal government support has been too sweet," Kennedy said, noting that previous standards allowed for unlimited sugar in meals served to young children. Kennedy has advocated for stricter oversight of the ingredients included in federally funded school meals. The federal school lunch program has been a staple of the American education system for 80 years. President Harry S. Truman signed the National School Lunch Act in 1946 to establish the program. It was later expanded in 1966 when the Child Nutrition Act added a free breakfast component for children who could not afford it. According to the Food Research and Action Center, nearly 30 million students receive free or reduced-priced lunches every day. Proponents of the program argue that these meals are essential for reducing food insecurity and helping students perform better in their studies. The organization describes the program as an investment in the next generation to help them achieve the American dream. The new restrictions specifically target meals eligible for the free and reduced meal program. Beyond the immediate limits on salt and sugar, the USDA is currently drafting more comprehensive guidelines that officials say will go further in regulating school nutrition. The focus of the new food pyramid, unveiled this winter, emphasizes whole foods and protein while strictly limiting ultra-processed options. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the federal government will announce new, specific school lunch guidelines this spring. The updated rules are expected to align with the administration's focus on whole foods and reduced processing. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by Nexstar. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by Nexstar staff before being published