Nutritionists and Healthy Lunches Nowadays, more children in the United States are struggling with obesity. According to the State of Obesity (2012), “5 percent of 6-to-11-years-olds were severely obese” (para. 2). Since we discovered such information, we decided to follow big idea number ten which states, “Primary education (six to eight years) must be designed to meet the unique development of children this age” (Couchenour & Chrisman, 2011, p. 276). We created an advocacy action plan called Nutritionists and Healthy Lunches (N.H.L). In this action plan, we advocate that elementary schools should hire at least two nutritionists. The nutritionists would go into each classroom at least once a week for about twenty minutes. During these …show more content…
5). Simultaneously, they will learn the advantages of eating healthy foods. For instance, the nutritionists will help the children understand that eating carrots helps improve their eye-sight. Also, the children will learn about the importance of daily exercise and how it can reduce their risks of developing diseases later on in their lives. Through healthier lunches at school, the children will gain more energy. By eating foods with less amount of sugar at school, children will feel less drowsy and be able to concentrate more during class time. Healthier school lunches will also help lower the rates of children obesity. According to JAMA Pediatrics (2013), “Rates of obesity were much less pronounced in states where school meals exceeding the USDA nutritional standards (21.1% versus 17.4%)” (as cited in Walsh, 2013, para. 3). The time with the nutritionists and healthier school lunches will help children acquire a taste for healthier food choices and they will encourage their families to recreate these healthy foods at home.
The parents will also benefit from this plan. For starters, the nutritionists will help the parents gain insight on nutrition. As previously mentioned, the families will learn ways to encourage their children to eat healthy foods at home. In addition, the students’ parents will learn about obesity, its
As adults, they are also at an increased risk for coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) compared with those not overweight as adolescents.” It is important to help reduce the growing trend of obesity in children and young adults, as it has been documented in recent studies that children who are overweight tend to carry this problem with them into adulthood. Revitalizing the school lunch program would be an incremental place for the government to start revamping the obesity problems that they have caused in children. David Satcher stated in HEALTHY and Ready to Learn that, “Well-nourished students tend to be better students, whereas poorly nourished students tend to demonstrate weaker academic performance and score lower on standardized achievement tests. The majority of U.S. children are not eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet. Inadequate consumption of key food groups deprives children of essential vitamins, minerals, fats, and proteins necessary for optimum cognitive function (Tufts University School of Nutrition, 1995). Children who suffer from poor nutrition during the brains most formative years score much lower on tests of vocabulary, reading comprehension, arithmetic, and general knowledge (Brown & Pollitt, 1996). In a 1989 study, 4th graders with the lowest amount
A healthier lunch change is happening across schools statewide. Schools have finally realized that students are not eating as healthy as they should be. Schools will began to have healthier students, better food choices, and be able to cut out unnecessary junk foods. If schools change to healthier lunches, students will begin to become healthier themselves. Students will receive better nutritional value from the change in their lunches. Although students will vote against the change in food, they slowly realize the school is doing this help them achieve better health. Also, students will receive better energy and bodily functions from new and improved lunches. Students will gain increased vitamins and minerals from the which they were not currently receiving Healthier lunches will bring better food choices to students. It will replace normal, unhealthy foods with more nutritious, healthier
School lunches are not the epitome of meals in the world. Raising the level of nutritional output would highly increase the healthiness of the student’s body. For example, if a child were to drink only water at school the health benefits would help that student, just by cutting out the sugar and the calorie intake. If schools were to serve grilled chicken instead of fried chicken, the student would not have that extreme carb intake just from the fried part alone. Chicken and vegetables should be the entrée for most school lunches, of course, this does not allow for a great variety of meals, but the healthiness of the students would increase over time and could possibly be the healthiest thing they eat that day, but the only thing that they eat at all. The poverty in Mississippi is abundant, which may mean that children do not get three square meals a day, but maybe only one, which is at school. Therefore, the best way to affect student’s healthiness is by putting good, nutritious, and energizing food on the plate in front of
Since 2009 Schools have been improving there healthy choices of food like fresh fruits and salad bars,but those foods take longer to eat (Hellmich). Turning school lunches into an actual sit down meal rather than a feeding frenzy is a good way of improving health (Parker-Pope). Students usually have less than 20 minutes to eat lunch which makes it less likely for them to choose the healthy choice (Elsevier). Kids often like to eat there favorite foods first,not giving them enough time to eat the healthy food (Hellmich). An increase in school lunches could encourage students to eat the healthier choice(5 Elsevier). School nutritionist suggest that students need to have atlas 20 minutes to eat (Hellmich). Research shows that when people consume meals faster they take in more calories because they get hungry sooner (Chen). The shorter lunch periods are starting to lead to more and more obese and overweight kids ( Hellmich). Doctors are saying there are more and more kids getting diabetes and other illnesses due to the lunches and something needs to be done about it
The article about fixing kids lunch and diet is a great idea because it can help kid lose weight and help them be more active and athletic. “That’s a wise choice, since childhood obesity has become a national problem: In 2012, 1 in 3 American children were overweight or obese.” This shows how it can help cut down the rate of overly obesity in america.
One in three Americans kids are obese or over weight which is a staggering and alarming rate at the same time. So looking 20 years into the future that number could double if nothing is said and done about what we are eating. The public school food in school lunches are unhealthy for many alarming reasons, but not much can be done immediately due to strict guidelines and budgets that schools must follow. A lot of it goes to kids not exercising, and more time watching TV, or playing on the computer. And now days more families have less time to make nutritious home made meals. So they tend to eat School cafeteria lunches that have minimal nutrition’s and harmful calories. To prevent your kid from being over weight mean adapting what you eat, and having to exercise at least 60 minutes a day. If the changes are made to change school lunches, it can help them from being obese, children can improve their lifestyle choices, and lastly it prevents them from getting harmful diseases.
Childhood obesity has expanded tremendously within the past thirty years (CDC, 2015). It is not only a state, but also a nationwide issue. For many children, they depend on their school lunches to provide them the nutritious meals they cannot afford to have at home. As a community, we need to get our children into better shape. Not only will they become more astute, but they will also live healthier lifestyles, and have less health complications as they age. When you are overweight or obese, you are much more likely to develop health problems like heart disease, diabetes, or even a stroke. It is our responsibility as a community, state, and nation to offer nutritious meals and activities for our youth and future.
The obesity epidemic here in the United States affects a mass portion of all children and adolescents. The rapid growth in childhood obesity has become a prevalent health concern that is overlooked due to its’ normality. The main focus of this issue has always been fixated on how to help those facing current problems with obesity. Instead, attention needs to be brought to the prevention of our country’s #1 leading health concern, which has yet to be compromised. This ignorance has led millions of children ill-educated on the importance of lifestyle and the simple concept that “we are what we eat”. The reality of this issue is not one many want to take responsibility for, but the significant impact education has on what children consume is greater than we may think. The lack of effort in our education system and the simple changes in the education we provide can significantly help reduce the obesity crisis we face. Our education career is one of the most influential aspects of all of our lives and though most of children’s time is spent in school, it lacks teaching the importance of food, the consequences of unhealthy diets and its’ little value on health as being part of our future success.
To touch on poor nutrition, research shows that almost one-third of U.S. children between the ages of four and nineteen eat fast food every day; this results in weight gain of approximately 6 extra pounds on a growing child each year (NACHRI, 2007). Fast food consumption has increased fivefold among children since 1970. Not only is fast food an issue, but when parents reward their children with sugary foods and/or use fruits and vegetables as a punishment, this may cause children’s views toward nutritious food to be negative. Some great educational tools that can be shared both in and out of the classroom are “The Food Guide Pyramid” and “My Plate.” Both show that appropriate number of serving of each food category. “My Plate” does a great job of even providing games, activity sheets, kid-friendly recipes, and physical activity tips to elementary aged children (My Plate, 2015). They also provide great resources for adults so parents and educators can practice what they preach and set good examples for children. Educating children on an what a healthy diet consists of and why it is important is probably the greatest preventative tool we can use to prevent obesity. As the famous saying goes, “knowledge is
Healthy school lunches are important because then kids will do better in school and get better grades. Kids will be able to focus on what they are doing and will be more alert in school. Kids will be able to think more clearly and they will process information better when they eat a healthy school lunch (Wittman, 2012). Kids who eat healthier lunches will receive better test scores. Kids who eat a healthy lunch will work more quickly and improve on their test scores because kids are more focused on what they are working on. Kids will not be able to think as clearly and they will have trouble processing information if they do not eat a healthy school lunch (Clarke, 2011). Kids who are eating more fruits, vegetables, protein, and fewer calories from fat, improved on their literacy tests compared to children with a high-fat diet (Fisk, 2015). Kids who are eating lunches that are unhealthy are more likely to score lower on tests and have a tougher time
According to National Heart Lung and Blood institute, in America, 1 in 6 kids are obese. Although obesity might not seem that much of a big deal, it is. Childhood obesity can lead to much worse health problems later in adulthood, such as higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, hypertension, and even cancer, among many chronic health issues all caused by obesity. Many kids get about half of their daily calories at school, and for some, school is where they get all of their daily calories. Since school plays such a big part in affecting the lives of many kids across America, special attention should be shown to nutrition. This can help kids with obesity, as well as kids that don’t have much food at home to eat and only rely on school food. For many poor kids, they don’t have a lot of healthy foods at home, because they can’t afford it. So, they rely on cheap school food for their vitamins and nutrients. Because cafeteria foods, like hamburgers or beef and cheese nachos, are highly processed and filled with unnecessary fat ,those kids that rely on school for food won’t get the nutrients and vitamins they need and will go home hungry. Since kids are growing up, it is especially important for them to get the right food they need to grow up healthy and strong, and in a place full of kids that are growing up, it is only right to provide them with good and healthy food that will allow the kids to grow up into healthy adults without obesity, malnourishment, or any kind of health
Childhood obesity is a major cause for concern within the United States. This is mainly due to children not getting the require nutrition that they need. Although study show that there is a decrease in obesity in children, it still remains at an all-time high. Children are failing to eat as healthy as they should, and it has become an even bigger problem now that they aren’t getting the require amount of food in their diets. The USDA made a decision a couple of years ago to reduce the amount of food given to children while they are at school. This hurts them tremendously, because the majority of the food they eat comes from being at school all day. The other half lies on the parents when they go home and eat dinner. It is very important for children to eat healthy and eat the required amount of food according to various dietary guidelines. First Lady Michelle Obama has started a new campaign to help kids and parents combat obesity in children. One thing that the campaign has placed emphases on is getting healthier food within school. Although they are getting healthier foods in school they are beginning to change the proportion they are giving students. Through the First Lady’s Let’s Move campaign students should be giving healthier foods and also be allowed to have the correct proportion to help them maintain a healthy diet.
Childhood obesity is a serious health issue currently affecting America’s population. School lunches have gained a spotlight in the search for prevention of child obesity because the majority of America’s youth eat two school meals a day during most of the year. Although the nutritional standards of school meals have been changed over the years, there is still room for improvement. With additions such as a la cart and vending machines, school meals quickly fall from the federal nutrition standards. As children grow they spend an average of 7 hours a day at school over half of the year. With almost 95% of America’s children attending school, it is one of the most stable and influential aspects of their life. With so much of a child’s time spent
Better nutrition in schools is critical being students will eat food that is better for them. Research shows students that eat school meals are more likely to obtain a healthier weight than students that bring a lunch if the school abide National School lunch program (NSLP). This shows that school lunch is healthier by
The health problems are increasing in the world as people are consuming fast food with high calories. Most people consume fast food from a drive through to save time, but do not realize that healthy food is necessary as food choices may affect how one may feel, as it is an old saying, ‘you are what you eat’. By eating healthy food, one may also reduce the risk of diseases, and improves one’s personal well being. A healthy diet consists balanced vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Healthy food can be locally grown fresh food and is a low-fat food, has low calories and more nutrients. Healthy diet does not mean not to eat the unhealthy food you love, but to eat it in a limited amount. People of all ages are either overweight or obese in the US and are not taking care of their health. If children have any health problem, then it is less likely to face it in their adulthood. Therefore, schools have started healthy lunch programs in school to promote healthy dietary behavior. As obesity is a leading public health concern among children, parents should know that the students who eat healthy and nutritious food do not get sick, are discipline and shows no violence and these programs also teach responsibility to students with hands on experience.