WEEK ONE HUNDRED-TWENTY TWO :: Should Schools Be Required To Provide Healthy Foods?

**webmaster** · 05-09-2007, 02:49 PM

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TOPIC: Should Schools Be Required To Provide Healthy Foods For Kids?

For the week of: May 9th - May 15th
Tuesday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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Should Schools Be Required To Provide Healthy Foods For Kids?

With an increasing number of kids with obesity, it is no wonder why such a topic is necessary to discuss.

Should schools be required to provide healthy foods for kids? If yes, which kinds of foods and why?

Should schools be required to offer junk foods?

Should the responsibility of a healthy diet for kids rely on the school or the parents?

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markc7 · 05-09-2007, 04:33 PM

Excellent question! I look forward to hearing the responses.

bigbenff · 05-10-2007, 06:55 PM

My answer to the question, should schools be required to provide healthy foods? I think absolutely! There are so many reasons why. The first is today most kids do not even get enough exercise in the first place. When I was a kid I ate alot of junk food but the difference was I was always outdoors doing something active. Today most kids stay indoors and play video games or are on the computer,so they aren't getting the same physical exercise that kids used to get. Another problem is most families do not eat home cooked meals anymore because most families both parents have to work to pay the bills and there just is not enough time to cook so thats when the fast food comes into play. So when kids of today aren't getting exercise and are eating fast food all the time and then eating junk at school it is no wonder kids are fatter than ever. I think not only should the schools provide healthy foods but they should also get rid of the junk foods and the sugary drinks! If parents aren't going to be responsible enough to feed there kids right and teach them the right foods to eat somebody needs too!

Stonecoldtruth · 05-10-2007, 11:24 PM

Should Schools Be Required To Provide Healthy Foods?

A simple statement by itself, one out of three. However, despite the simplicity of the statement, it represents a much more complex issue, the issue of Childhood Obesity. 1 out of every 3 children in the United States is overweight, with a staggering 15% of children being considered obese. The topic of who is to blame for this epidemic could drag on endlessly, but there are obviously ways we can improve these statistics. In the same way we send our children to school to expand their minds, they should also shrink their waistlines in the halls of the educational institute.

Should Schools Be Required To Provide Healthy Foods For Kids?

While the primary responsibility for healthy eating will always lie on the shoulders of parents, children spent a large portion of their day in school. Because of this, schools should be required to provide healthy meals that reflect the needs of growing children.
As it currently stands, many schools are offering meals that reinforce convenience and taste over nutritional value. A quick perusal of an actual school cafeteria menu revealed some shocking truths:

Pizza on the menu daily
Hamburgers on the menu daily
Salads on the menu twice a week
And fried foods daily

With options like the above, it is no wonder that our children are ?growing? out so fast. Schools must immediately take steps to not only provide healthy food options, but to educate our children on the basics of nutrition and the need for proper eating habits.

If yes, which kinds of foods and why?

Inside of the bodybuilding world the topic of nutrition is vast and broad, with many different viewpoints. Taking that kind of approach with schools and nutrition would be a recipe for failure. With that in mind, schools need to go back to the basics. Even something as simple as using the food pyramid would drastically improve the health of our youth in America, and worldwide.

Starting at the bottom of the food pyramid we find the ?grains? food group. This food group typically includes: Bread, Cereals, Rice, and Pasta. However, to be clear, that does not include overly processed and sugared cereals and breads. Whole Wheat and nutritionally dense selections provide a very solid base of the food pyramid. Often overlooked is the serving size of these types of items. A single piece of bread, a cup of cereal, a half-cup of rice, and a half-cup pasta are all considered a single serving. Many schools begin sabotaging their children by providing vastly oversized servings in the grain category. Some excellent food selections in this category are: Whole Wheat Breads and Buns, Whole Wheat Pasta, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, and Unsweetened Cereals.

The next step up the food pyramid is the ?vegetable? group. This is where we begin to fail our children miserably. Gone are the days of children getting their vegetables, and here are the days of cheese-covered, ranch dipped, nutritionally ruined veggies. Schools should provide our children with a wide variety of dark green and orange vegetables, such as: Kale, Spinach, Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli, Asparagus, Cauliflower, and even Avocado. There are too many amazingly nutritional vegetables to be ignored. The recommendation for a mere 4 year old is 1 and a half cups of veggies a day, and I would gander to say that most teenagers do not even meet that requirement.

Moving laterally on the pyramid to nutritional success we find the fruit group. Schools should offer up a wide variety of fresh and seasonal fruits, as opposed to the traditional apples, oranges, and bananas. While the three ?staple fruits? do indeed have their place in the lunchroom, there are some amazing vitamin-filled and tasty options available, such as: Strawberries, Kiwis, Mangoes, Papaya, Cherries, Blueberries, and Guavas. While fruits are often high in sugar content, they would do especially well when provided in the morning and lunch meals at school for children.

The next section of the food pyramid is the dairy section. Surprisingly, many children exceed the recommendations of this group on cheese alone. However, cheese is one of many good options for children to seek out in the dairy food group. The dairy group is rich in calcium, potassium, and magnesium which are vital for children and adults alike. The dairy group offers many healthy choices, such as: Low fat milks, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, and pudding. It is also essential that schools have options for those who may be lactose intolerant.

Again moving laterally, we find the protein group, or more lengthily referred to as the Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts group. The name of this group does a great job of showing the types of foods we should be offering our children in this group. Now we are not talking about the battered, deep fried, grease dripping meat options here. We are speaking of lean protein sources such as chicken, turkey, eggs, a variety of dry fiber-rich beans, and various nut options for a healthy fat intake. If we took one food group and modified it to fit what is best for our children, this one would go a long way to making for a healthier world.

The last food group is the Fats, Oils, and Sweets food group. Many people will tell you that they believe that all sweets should be removed from the school cafeterias and vending machines, but I will tend to disagree. In our efforts to improve the health of our children we must keep in mind that they are just that, children. Denying children any desert type items is going to only result in them feeling deprived and seeking it out elsewhere. Instead, our schools should focus on providing healthy, yet tasty, desert and sweet items for our children. Things like rich dark chocolate, baked whole grain doughnuts, baked chips, sweet potato fries, and even whole wheat crusted turkey pepperoni pizza with reduced fat cheese would allow for a nice balance between the tasty and the testy.

However, no matter how much we change the food offerings within our educational system, we will fail if do not compliment it with further education. Teaching children about making proper food choices is only the beginning. We need to be educating our children about macronutrients, portion sizes, calories, and put a large emphasis on increased physical activity.

With an increasing number of kids with obesity, it is no wonder why such a topic is necessary to discuss.

Should schools be required to offer junk foods?

Schools should be required to provide breakfast, lunch, and snacks to children. However, I see no benefit to offering foods that further the obesity epidemic. If schools are to offer unhealthy choices it must be done in a moderated fashion to ensure that children are not given carte blanche to foods that put them at an increased risk for obesity, diabetes, or other weight-related illnesses that are becoming far too common. To put it bluntly, I see no reason why there should be ANY vending machines within the hallways of our schools.

Should the responsibility of a healthy diet for kids rely on the school or the parents?

There is a delicate balance when it comes to who bears the responsibility for providing a healthy diet to children. As children as essentially given over to the educational institution for 7-8 hours a day, I feel that during those hours the responsibility is transferred to the schools to provide proper nutrition. Parents do have the option of sending children with bagged lunches to school, but that should not be at all necessary with the knowledge we currently have of nutrition. At home, before school, after school, the responsibility lies solely on the parents to reinforce the lessons and methods taught at the school as it pertains to nutrition. It is only through a joint cohesive effort that our children will begin to return to childlike proportions.

In closing, improving the educational system?s nutritional offerings is only the beginning to improving the life and longevity of our children. Increased physical exercise, increased social interaction, and a reduction in television/video game usage are all pieces of a larger puzzle.

Josh Graston aka SCT

References:
http://sln.fi.edu/biosci/healthy/pyramid.html
http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/stay_h...d/pyramid.html
http://www.health24.com/child/Nutrit...-855,24364.asp
http://www.obesity.org/subs/fastfact...ty_youth.shtml
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/assets/4167.pdf

MoreCowBell · 05-11-2007, 08:55 AM

Not really answering but....................my son is in elementary school and they most certanily do provide healthy lunches. They send the menu to my house once a month with every meal outlined and macros broken down. You are even allowed to see what your child is ordering with his lunch card, and allowed to put restrictions on it.

Vipps · 05-11-2007, 07:52 PM

Should Schools Be Required To Provide Healthy Foods For Kids?

Schools should be required to present healthy foods for kids. Establishing good health for young individuals is a huge subject. Being healthy tends to increase life span, generate a better self-image, keeping an individual in a good condition, and prevent diseases. Obesity today is a major issue an which we cannot overpass. Obesity is defined as an individual clinical condition and is increasingly viewed as a serious public health problem. Excessive body weight has been shown to predispose to various diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, sleep apnea, and osteoarthritis. Obesity is generally developed by excessive eating, which can be a result of: family history of eating disorders, family history of cigarette smoking and sedentary behaviors. Now that it is clear that maintaining a healthy condition is highly suggested, what types of food should the school provide?

To answer this, the schools should have a wide variety of selection. Vegetables, fruits, lean meats, beans, low fat dairy, and grains are said to be the richest sources of many of the essential nutrients needed for optimal health. Foods that can fall under these catagories, that will appeal to kids appetites could include: apples, oranges, bananas, yogurt, salads, soups containing vegetables/meat, and chicken-burgers. The foods as mentioned should be accepted into the schools to recieve the most nutrition for your body, to develop a strong, healthy life style.

Not only should schools provide healthy foods, but as well as junk food. As kids become older, they become more independent, expecting to be able to make choices on their own. These individuals need to practice decesion making at a young age, eating right is a perfect opportunity. Kids often think that the taste of certain foods is the deciding factor of what is eaten. Having junk food presented allows them to have a wide variety of foods to choose from, enjoying a tasteful meal, and as said before, making the correct choices.

The responsibility of a healthy diet should rely on the school, as well as parents. It is known that a number of parents are concerned with their childrens life style. Parents should reguarly discuss good eating habits with their kids, saying why, and how to eat healthy. Though, it is acknowledged that in certan cases, some parents do not believe in healthy eating, or believe it is not of importance, this is where the school should come in. Every so often, schools should educate all students the importance of nutrition and how to achieve it, for those who are unaware, or would like to know more about nutrition.
In conclusion, living a healthy life style is a fundamental of life. Increasing the awareness in educational systems is a significant way to achieve a good way of living.

Thanks for your time,
Vipps.

diana67 · 05-11-2007, 08:45 PM

The schools here in australia have cut out alot of junk food , but I think they
need to do more , when I go down to take kids to school often the high school kids are at the takeaway shop eating chips etc , because they cant buy it at the school they seem to be targeting fast food shops before they hit school, But I think schools should get rid of all foods with any additives etc in it, because not only of obesity but behaviour problems ,maybe takeaway shops should be closed till school starts

Vasarnap · 05-11-2007, 08:48 PM

Actually i think that some overweight people (not including eating disorder, obesity problems) should control their diet. sure they can improve by putting healthy foodin the menu but there will always be choices. I high school they can choose to eat what the want. Overweight people should choose to eat healthy instead of eating junk food so even if they change it, so people will just start to bring their own junk food from home, so IMO i dont think it will do very good but it is worth a shot.

bigcalves · 05-12-2007, 02:15 PM

awesome topic!

sugicalmike · 05-12-2007, 02:59 PM

This is indeed an excellent topic!

Im thinkin' that it would be a great idea for schools to offer healthy foods. I remember when I was in school they turned the pop machines of at lunchtime, a decent start, but they still served french fries, greasy ass pizza, cookies and all that crap. I think it is almost necessary that schools take over where some parents have failed. Ensuring kids get healthy, whole foods instead of fried and processed garbage.
I don't remember the school or the name of the company, but i anyone's seen the movie "Supersize Me" they'll know what Im talking about. There's a school that uses fresh, daily made food at little more expense compared to the cost of food schools would usually serve.
The important thing to remember though, like many others have said, is that ultimately it is up to the people to be in charge of their diets and basically their lives.

annabolic · 05-13-2007, 04:09 AM

I think that schools (and hospitals) should at least provide options. Real options. Not alternatives like salads with tons of dressing, or fruit salads that have tons of added sugar...The only problem with this is that I cannot even think of any alternative that I would have considered when I was a kid. Every day in 7th grade I ate a slice of pizza and a pint of cookies and cream ice cream. I had no idea what I was doing to myself, and I didn't really think twice. I guess that schools/parents have to share the responsibilty of educating kids, and then lead them by example. So until the adults stop being fat I don't see much hope for their kids/students.

LocksJD · 05-13-2007, 01:01 PM

Should Schools Be Required To Provide Healthy Foods For Kids?
--Depends on what "healthy" is to the individual. Bodybuilders, vegans, runners, etc all have different nutritional needs/plans and thus consider different meal styles to be healthy. Instead - schools should simply offer a wide variety. Most people agree that eating anything in moderation won't do any harm - however most people left to their own vices will eat the same or similar meals multiple times over the course of the week. Not only should schools offer a variety of foods for health's sake - but for the sake of showing children new a different food styles and perhaps in doing so, different cultures. School is a place for education after all.

Should schools be required to provide healthy foods for kids? If yes, which kinds of foods and why?
--As said above - the importance is variety, not pin pointing certain foods and picking thumbs up or thumbs down. I think another flaw is school cafeteria work is comprised of re-heating foods in microwaves ovens. Its rare to see any real cooking. It doesn't take a genius to realize that homemade pizza is usually better for you (and tasting) than take out pizza.

Should schools be required to offer junk foods?
--I have no quarrel with schools offering foods like hamburger and pizza on occasion. But I don't think schools should be so close to soda companies than they are now. I don't think they should offer chips or ice cream. A kids typical meal is a bag of doritoes, a soda they're loyal to, and maybe a snickers bar. This is for several reasons - food offered, marketing campaigns have popularized certain foods, and peer pressure (salads aren't always a popular choice - as a kid status is everything). In my opinion, schools should remove or severely decrease the amount of processed foods and sugar offered in schools.

Should the responsibility of a healthy diet for kids rely on the school or the parents?
--Both. Ultimately, its the parents responsibility - but, the majority of children who are obese have parents who are obese. These parents are failing to teach their children basic nutritional knowledge and so if we do want to do something about this problem, we need to teach all people, particularly kids (who are the future ^_^) basic nutritional knowledge. And this can't be done in 2-3hours of physical ed class. There needs to be an ongoing course throughout school. Since we pretty much do eat every day and for the rest of our lives, nutritional information is not the least valuable knowledge out there.

My Solution
--Schools should offer a variety of foods but keep things like sodas and candy bars out. In the process, nutrition should be a required course for all students where they focus on teaching them how their bodies work, how food works in the body, what benefits/detriments do certain foods/diets give, etc.

yoyohomieg5432 · 05-14-2007, 07:09 PM

heres mine

good luck all

dumbbellfanatic · 05-14-2007, 07:59 PM

WEEK ONE HUNDRED-TWENTY TWO :: Should Schools Be Required To Provide Healthy Foods?

Should schools be required to provide healthy foods for kids? If yes, which kinds of foods and why?

Schools offer very little when it comes to proper nutrition since it's cheaper for them to offer junk food to the public. With childhood obesity and over-eating on the rise, schools are being blamed. Is it their fault? Well....yes and no. Schools have always offered poor meals in the past but the decline in child activity is a major contributor to the problem of today. With sedentary kids playing video games instead of being out on the field in pick-up games, the food is having a greater affect on their bodies. After all, hitting buttons on a controller doesn't even compare to the calorie burning exercise of soccer. Even though school food choices haven't changed drastically, the kids have. Without a proper foundation of exercise, healthier meals with less calories are required. Schools should rid their cafeteries of the greasy fries and onion rings and offer sandwiches and salads with low-fat, low-calorie dressings. Including fruit and vegetables is also a must to supply necessary vitamins and nutrients needed for growth.

Should schools be required to offer junk foods?

No. There's no requirement to offer junk foods and it isn't set in stone that they must. Whether or not to offer junk food is at the school's discretion. There's no need for sugar loaded beverages and sweets with added chemicals. Junk food contributes to cardiovascular diseases and should be limited.

Should the responsibility of a healthy diet for kids rely on the school or the parents?

Parents set poor examples for children when it comes to dietary choices and the fundamental elements of nutrition. Schools are becoming part of vending machine corporations. Neither are exceptable. Parents and schools should work together to supply kids with the proper information and healthy choices so that kids can live healthy lives. After all, children are our future.

mnwrestler4life · 05-15-2007, 03:45 PM

Should schools be required to provide healthy food for kids?
The answer most of us would be looking for is simply yes. There is no reason that if a school offers the healthy foods along with the other foods that are viewed by our society, the health administration, or parents of said children as non-healthy. The children who understand on their own that it is imperative to some ones health. Offering only foods that could potentially cause health problems. It is just purely unsafe and for the children who make these choices on their own, unfair. As stated by www.sixwise.com pop(soda), potato chips and French fries, doughnuts and other baked goods, luncheon meats and hotdogs, and last of all canned soups are among the top six most unhealthy foods that could be served. Most schools serve these foods among some schools turning to more healthy choices. It is just breeding grounds for a potential health risk. Immediately this brings a problem to most minds.

If yes which kinds of food and why, should be served?

Whole grained foods should be on the menus, such as whole grain breads, buns, noodles, and crackers. The schools should be nearly overdoing vegetables and fruits and there accessibility to the students. Have different kinds if fruits and vegetables at every meal served by the school and keep them very cheap so that all can buy them. Schools are now viewing the health of the students more important than the profit they make, so many schools would be willing to do this. Serving fat free cheeses and sauces and lower sodium in these would keep them much healthier. Kinds love pasta and cheese, but do they need to know that its fat free and good for them? It wouldn?t be that far out of the question to incorporate a vegetarian pizza or something along the lines of that. The meats served could be lower in fat and more of a pure meat product. Many times excessive fat and or byproducts and organs are added. No need for these in our society seeing that we have quite an abundance of food.
As for drinks that could be offered, low-fat milk, or flavored low fat milk is quite appealing to younger kids. If a school has an a la carte they could offer things as fruit smoothie or 100% real fruit juices instead of pop. Pop can contain around 10 teaspoons of sugar in one 12 once can, and sipping pops rots teeth. The may clinic did a research study and found that adolescent bone breaks may be in part due to drinking pop instead of drinking milk. Many schools that offer these products are being paid to do so as advertisement. This may put a damper on the slow progression in to taking them out permanently. Fitness waters, other sports drinks, and teas are also healthier substitutes.

Should schools be required to offer junk foods?
No, no school should be required to offer foods that can put a person at risk. It should be up to the administration to undergo a change. Healthier snacks could be provided in place of these items. The school should not be a place that can be held accountable for obesity and unhealthy diets. It can be up to the student themselves to choose to purchase these items outside of school. Healthier food choices can also lead to better brain usage and therefore may increase the intelligence of someone. Having junk food so readily available and if being consumed may inhibit the brains natural ability to process if lacking vital vitamins and minerals.

Should a healthy diet rely on the school or on the parents?
School, being a place of learning, should not be teaching kids improper ways of nutrition. Parents can influence a child only so much but it is their own choice on what they will eat in most cases. If since the first day of kindergarten, until the last day of high school, healthy foods are offered, it could become repetitive and affect the meals eaten outside of the learning establishment. It is human instinct that this could have an affect. The parents also play a large role in offering children healthier foods. If you grew up in an environment where all you ate was junk food, it will be natural to immediately go for the junk food, whereas if you were brought up eating healthier foods, the first instinct would say go to the healthier foods. Young minds are very influential and nutrition can not be stressed enough in young minds of this decade. Obesity is becoming a problem, and it starts at home. In an average house, about 80% of food during the day is eaten outside of school. If a child chooses outside of school then it can rely on parents and other people around them to influence them into smart eating habits, but in school, they should be offering foods that are beneficial for health, and not foods that could be putting children at risk.

http://preteenagerstoday.com/resourc...es/stoppop.htm
http://primal-page.com/emerson.htm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/food/Story/0,,1924088,00.html

ManInTheBox · 05-15-2007, 05:47 PM

This topic really hits home, a topic that I feel strongly about. Great pick! Good luck to everyone!

Magnum Joe · 05-15-2007, 07:39 PM

Enjoy!

TinyMan · 05-15-2007, 10:09 PM

I totally forgot to post this. Anyways, please see attached document.

VibratingBilldo · 05-16-2007, 08:32 AM

This is a great topic that is one that I debate a bunch here at work. I work at a high school and get to see first hand what these kids have as "choices" for lunch here in the school cafeteria. And of course trying to live a healthy lifestyle just like everyone else on this forum I to believe that the schools should be required to provide healthy foods. And I also feel that at least here in this school, most likely the county and state, they are providing these kids with healthy choices. I know a huge step this year was that all soda machines here in the school were required to have water, sugar-free juices and diet sodas! Yea that was a surprise for me when I walked into the door at the beginning of the year. But also the food choices themselves have improved. I know some of the food lines have healthy food choices like different fruits and veggies along with salads as well. The problem usually lies within the main entree of the lines, usually a protein of some sorts, but most likely not a lean healthy choice(obviously economics play a huge role in that!) but it also most of the time comes in fried form. But at least the kids have the choice to get a balanced meal. But the real problem is because these kids dont go through the healthy lines, they go to the "fast food" line, full of pizza, french fries, cakes and other "not so healthy" choices. And thats where the real problem lies...the choices they make, thats where they need to be educated the most, by the schools, and especially in there homes. But thats another topic all in its self...

Tuzzi · 05-17-2007, 12:26 PM

by next year in jersey all foods have to pass healthy standars...so no cand or any of that stuff. but it doesnt really matter in my opinion becuase the "healthy" foods they serve in my highschool arnt healthy...the food company buys the cheapest **** possible and process the hell out of everything...its discusting