I commend the Obama administration for its recent drive to expel junk food from the nation’s schools, in hopes of reducing the number of children who become overweight during their school years. In proposed legislation, candy and sugary drinks will be banned from school and schools will be required to offer nutritious choices to students.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack delivered a speech Monday, February 8th at the National Press Club in which he insisted, according to The New York Times, that any vending machines that remain in schools be “filled with nutritious offerings to make the healthy choice the easy choice for our nation’s children.” To this, I say kudos! If children don’t have healthy choices, it is impossible to make them.
According to a 2007 Centers for Disease Control survey of public high schools,only 18 percent of high schools offered fruits or vegetables for students to purchase. But, in 77 percent of high schools, students could purchase soda pop or corn-syrup laden “fruit drinks” and in 50 percent of them, students could purchase chocolate candy. No wonder our kids are getting bigger and unhealthier by the year!
Shockingly, this move is facing opposition. This angers me. Who would be opposed to helping America’s kids eat healthier foods, help reduce childhood obesity and ultimately lower the debt of our nation’s health care system? I have read and heard the argument – “The government has no right to control what goes in my child’s belly!” That is ridiculous. To this, I say that the parents fighting to keep junk food in their child’s school are probably feeding them the same unhealthy snacks at home. AND- I disagree that the government is trying to “control” what Americans can eat. This is simply a way to offer healthy alternatives while at school. Plus, parents and students can still choose what to consume for dinner, during the summer and on the weekends.
Even the soda industry is wavering on its objections to this legislation. The companies’ bottled water and juices offered by the cola giants can now fill the soda machines. No harm to big business there.
This drive to push junk food out of our schools falls in line with first lady, Michelle Obama’s statement last month, promising to lead an initiative to reduce childhood obesity. I look forward to seeing the positive impact that programs like Mrs. Obama’s “Let’s Move” and our administration’s push to help children make healthy food choices creates.
{ 0 comments }
