There are many different causes of childhood obesity, but one of the biggest is the poor food choice in school cafeterias. Public school food distributors provide schools with burgers, pizza, nachos, and french fries. These poor choices of food give students an unhealthy meal during the middle of their school day and can even affect their learning ability. Schools should care about the well-being of their students and get them healthier food. Surveys found that nine out of ten schools have junk food that competes with nutritional choices. Many experts believe that giving kids healthier options should be a nation-wide requirement. The presence of junk food in elementary schools, middle schools, as well as high schools just adds to the epidemic of childhood obesity in our country.
Many schools are taking initiative to change their ways in order to provide a healthier cafeteria for their students. Programs like the “Farm to School lunch program” allow schools to get their food directly from nearby farms, saving money and having greener food. When kids eat nothing but junk food when they’re younger they are more likely to continue this trend as adults too. By exposing them to healthier food choices when they are in school we are setting them up to also eat healthier as adults.
The issue of child obesity has also now turned into a national security crisis, with many children being so overweight from eating junk food at lunch that they cannot handle the physical requirements of being in the military. Weight problems have become the leading medical reason why recruits are being rejected. After World War II congress passed a health program to help troops with malnutrition grow up healthier and get the nutrients they needed. To ensure the continued safety of our nation a similar bill is needed now.
http://www.mnn.com/family/raising-a-family/blogs/school-lunches-threaten-national-security