Public School Food Is Unhealthy

Public School Food Is Unhealthy
School food in many states consists of greasy, sugary, and fatty foods that are bad for children

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.

No comments:

Post a Comment