(www.cnpp.usda.gov) Also, two out of three school children eat what the National School Lunch Programs (NSLP) provides. The school lunches consist of frozen veggies, non-fresh fruit and processed meats. All processed foods are full of chemicals. Parents need to do something about the lunch that is being provided to our children. We need to stand up for them and get the schools to provide healthy foods.
In order to put an end to childhood obesity, the schools needs to prepare a healthy yet balanced diet for all kids, by serving them with good food that is full of nutrition. District U-46 schools should prepare healthier/ more nutritious lunches in order to reduce childhood obesity. First, the most important reason why lunches should be more nutritious and healthier is to reduce childhood obesity in our children. In the United States, the amount of overweight children has dramatically increased in the recent years. In 2002, obesity statistics show that twenty two percent U.S. preschoolers were overweight (“Child”).
1). Children look up to their parents, and parents have to know they set the example. If a parent is obese then the child is going to feel that it is ok that they are also obese. Parents need to recognize and not ignore when their child is gaining too much weight and take action before its too late. Encourage your child to go outside and play for at least a 60-minute minimum, and also buy healthier foods for them so there is no unhealthy
School Breakfast and Lunch Programs The Positive Effects on Students and Families The topic of concern that I am going to address is how school breakfast and lunch programs impact the family in various ways. School meal programs, especially breakfast programs, have gotten a significant amount of attention in recent years due to the many studies that have shown the benefits of having these programs. These studies have shown that students who participate in school breakfast programs have better nutrition, less hunger, more food security, better performance in school, and the program could even improve the likelihood that students will eat breakfast on a regular basis (Bartfeld & Ryu, 2011). School breakfast and lunch programs are moving toward having a 100% participation rate, because when students who participated in the programs were analyzed and compared with the non-participation students, results showed significant differences in the categories listed above. (Moffitt, 1995).
The program includes a comprehensive menu that meets the nutrition standards of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. They partner up with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to improve the diets of the children and to develop healthy eating habits by providing nutritious meals and nutrition education activities. Each day the children receive a nourishing hot breakfast and lunch and a healthy afternoon snack. The program children take part in developmentally appropriate individual and group activities, which includes motor skill development, dramatic and creative free play, math and language development, computer technology, art, music, literature and science. A concentrated focus is placed on communication skills and problem solving techniques.
Childhood Veganism: Health vs. Illness Young children, vegetarian or not, need time and attention to grow up healthy and strong. A considerable amount of that time is spent making sure they obtain all the vital nutrients they need to progress. It is important to carefully plan your child’s diet from the years of infancy to youth because this is when growth rate is the highest, eating habits are set, and they are in desperate need of essential nutrients such as vitamins B-12 and calcium. Good parents have always worried about the health and development of their children and good vegan parents are no different.
If you notice your child eating too less or too much, you as the parent must make a change for your child. Whether the change includes the way you purchase household groceries or the way you prepare your meals in your home, you must maintain healthy children or try your best too. After reading my paper, the reader will know what to look for in an healthy child. What questions to ask your child on a daily basis. What groceries to purchase, what groceries are unhealthy to purchase when grocery shopping.
Lunch is an important meal of the day and many children eat it at school. It helps our bodies and brains grow and develop into the way that they are supposed to by boosting our metabolism and giving us energy for the rest of the day. But it's probably one of the biggest problems in schools throughout America. We are told to eat healthy and good but we cannot always do that with the choices we have at the school. Students are being fed unhealthy lunches at school cafeterias simply because it is cheaper to produce unhealthy processed foods so alternatives and healthier food go away.
Fortunately, the solution to this national epidemic is within reach. Parents, grandparents, educators and caring people everywhere can all play a part in instilling in kids the lifelong habits they need for health and academic success. I believe public schools should take a better initiative to increase health in schools because it is best to instill good habits at a young age, schools are an ideal environment to improve health of children (our future adults), and they can play an active role in fighting obesity. Everyone has a role to play. Your involvement as caregivers and adults is key to ensuring a healthy future for our children.
Schools have an ideal opportunity to influence children’s diets. Breakfast clubs can help ensure that children eat a nutritious and filling meal at the start of the day. School meals can be made more appealing to children by being freshly prepared on the premises and served in a more conducive environment. Schools can teach the importance of healthy eating through PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) and stimulate children’s interest in and provide access to different foods in cooking classes. There is a suggestion that combined with a poor diet; a lack of physical activity can lead to obesity.