School food is most definitely too unhealthy. Too much greasy, fatty, and sugary foods are being provided to children in a convenient fashion. For example, in a study of school lunches "Public Interest examined vending machines in 251 schools, and found that 85% of snacks and 75% of beverages offered were of poor nutritional quality. Junk food in schools helps make children and adolescents overweight, they say, which can lead to health problems" (Update: Junk Food in Schools). By providing vending machines for kids, it makes getting unhealthy food a very easy task. This promotes eating unhealthy food and contributes to the increasing obesity rate of children. If we were to simply put more healthy foods in vending machines, our school could benefit by gaining healthy students. Healthier students perform better in school, which can give help to accomplish some of the goals of the Governments education plans. Kids need better nutrition in order to perform their best in a school environment.
This nutrition also extends to home. If children are taught early to eat healthy food, they will keep this habit at home. This means that the government can help to make its population more healthy and more active. This would help to reduce medical costs for diseases and help keep money in the tax-payer's pocket. The money would then be used to boost our economy.
"Update: Junk Food in Schools." Issues & Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues & Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 23 Mar. 2007. Web. 8 June 2011. <http://www.2facts.com/article/i1200160>.
Public School Food Is Unhealthy
School food in many states consists of greasy, sugary, and fatty foods that are bad for children
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Meeting the Nutritional Needs of our Nation
According to the article http://publichealthlawcenter.org/topics/healthy-eating/school-food-policies, school lunches are an important part of a child's development inside and outside of school. I can easily support this statement from my readings.
Often, low income families cannot afford nutritious lunches, which hurts the academic performance of their child. The article explains, "Nutritious meals improve academic performance, increase school attendance, and reduce behavior problems" (publichealthlawcenter). These health problems range from diabetes to heart disease to high blood pressure. The point is, the government does (whether or not we recognize it) have a place in making lunches healthier. Due to the fact that this food may be the only choice for low income families, the government has a responsibility to make this food healthy for the benefit of the nation.
Also, Obesity is one of the largest killers in the nation. The US should be worried about the quality of life, no matter the cost.
Often, low income families cannot afford nutritious lunches, which hurts the academic performance of their child. The article explains, "Nutritious meals improve academic performance, increase school attendance, and reduce behavior problems" (publichealthlawcenter). These health problems range from diabetes to heart disease to high blood pressure. The point is, the government does (whether or not we recognize it) have a place in making lunches healthier. Due to the fact that this food may be the only choice for low income families, the government has a responsibility to make this food healthy for the benefit of the nation.
Also, Obesity is one of the largest killers in the nation. The US should be worried about the quality of life, no matter the cost.
Monday, June 6, 2011
School Lunches Contribute to the High Obesity Rate among Children
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/childrens-health/articles/2009/03/04/school-lunches-too-fatty-and-sugary-critics-say
I agree with this article, which states that school lunch food is unhealthy, and should be improved to meet the needs of our society. We need to lobby our officials in order to make sure that our children are being given healthy food.
School lunch food is contributing to the high obesity rates among children.
Acording to the article, "Obesity rates have more than doubled among infants and toddlers aged 2 to 5, quadrupled in children aged 6 to 11 and more than tripled among adolescents aged 12 to 19, according to an editorial in the journal." Although school lunch food is not the only reason for childhood obesity in America, it definitely is a primary cause. The selection, for example in my high school, is very poor. No healthy food is offered, only the likes of hamburgers, pizzas, ice cream, and sugary drinks. For people that are forced into buying this lunch every day, their only option is an unhealthy lunch.
In the article, Mary Ford, a dietician, explains, "Foods available by choice to students -- in vending machines, la carte and the like -- 'should include only fruits, vegetables, whole grains and non-fat and low-fat dairy products." In my experience in middle school, healthy food is offered rarely, but it is thrown away and wasted. Children must be taught at a young age that healthy foods can taste good too. This must be attempted by schools in classrooms and by teachers. The point is, public school children must be given the choice to get healthy food at an acceptable cost and must be taught that this food is good for them.
I agree with this article, which states that school lunch food is unhealthy, and should be improved to meet the needs of our society. We need to lobby our officials in order to make sure that our children are being given healthy food.
School lunch food is contributing to the high obesity rates among children.
Acording to the article, "Obesity rates have more than doubled among infants and toddlers aged 2 to 5, quadrupled in children aged 6 to 11 and more than tripled among adolescents aged 12 to 19, according to an editorial in the journal." Although school lunch food is not the only reason for childhood obesity in America, it definitely is a primary cause. The selection, for example in my high school, is very poor. No healthy food is offered, only the likes of hamburgers, pizzas, ice cream, and sugary drinks. For people that are forced into buying this lunch every day, their only option is an unhealthy lunch.
In the article, Mary Ford, a dietician, explains, "Foods available by choice to students -- in vending machines, la carte and the like -- 'should include only fruits, vegetables, whole grains and non-fat and low-fat dairy products." In my experience in middle school, healthy food is offered rarely, but it is thrown away and wasted. Children must be taught at a young age that healthy foods can taste good too. This must be attempted by schools in classrooms and by teachers. The point is, public school children must be given the choice to get healthy food at an acceptable cost and must be taught that this food is good for them.
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