Consumption Of Junk Food In School

“Serving school lunches has been the responsibility of schools, as mandated by the federal government, since the mid-1940s”, and lunch offered at school serves as the main meal for many children across the country (Junk Food in Schools). Even though “schools generate more than $750 million each year from the sale of junk food” (Junk Food in Schools) through vending machines and school cafeterias, schools should have to provide more nutritious foods in their lunch menus and vending machines because allowing schools to sell junk food goes against what is taught in the classroom and the adverse health effects of junk food on youth are so significant that it should be banned.

Supporters of the sale of junk food in school argue that junk food sold in schools generates more than 250 million dollars for schools each year. This is good for schools because with the current economic conditions it becomes hard to pay for school functions and activities and “[t]he most effective way to make up the shortfall is to sell junk food in cafeterias and vending machines, they say" (Junk Food in Schools). Supporters also say that it is pointless to ban the sale of junk food in schools, since "[k]ids are going to find ways to eat junk food regardless of whether it is sold on school campuses" (Junk Food in Schools). This poses a safety risk as well because it involves students leaving their school campus, “[e]very time a student leaves a campus, some argue, there is a chance for that student to be injured" (Junk Food in Schools). For example, various supporters even claim students run the risk of being run over if they cross the street to buy food. Although this is serves a valid point, it is far more important to our nation’s youth that their health and well is prioritized, rather than the amounts of money companies and schools make off of junk food.

The sale of junk food contradicts the nutritional values taught in school health classrooms. Many schools across the country, especially high schools and middle schools offer health classes that study nutrition in depth, but even most children are taught about making healthy choices regarding food at some point at school: "Allowing schools to sell junk food also sends a mixed message to kids about nutrition, analysts say. In the classroom, teachers are instructing children to eat a healthy, balanced diet. But in the cafeteria and hallways, students are confronted with a barrage of foods that are not healthy" (Junk Food in Schools). Even experts find that “selling junk food in schools confuses kids because it contradicts the nutrition lessons they are given" (Junk Food in Schools). Considering the fact that childhood obesity (and obesity in general) is a rapidly growing epidemic in the United States, we should be teaching this country’s youth to make good food choices that will make for a healthier future for them. Instead by selling them junk food at school we “reinforce[s] the poor eating habits that many young people already have” (Junk Food in Schools). Selling children food of minimal nutritional value goes against the lessons they should be taught, and even though “[t]hey may be taught good nutrition in the classroom, [but]they get a different message if they can buy soft drinks and snack foods right outside the school cafeteria" (Junk Food in Schools). This portrays how schools today are far more concerned with how much money they are earning than the health of their students. Apart from the double message it sends to them, junk food also poses a significant threat to students’ health.

Junk food has many adverse health effects that make it wrong and immoral to sell to children in schools. The types of food and snacks sold to kids in the cafeteria and vending machines (such as soda, candies, and baked goods) are very unhealthy. The consumption of these foods more often lead to overweight and eventually obese children. Also, children are no longer varying their diets due to junk food: "According to a 2001 report by the USDA, only 2% of school-aged children meet the Food Guide Pyramid serving suggestions for all five food groups” (Junk Food in Schools). This is detrimental to our youth because the food guide pyramid provides a basis for healthy habits, and 2% is a very small amount. This problem is not only temporary either since "critics of selling junk food in schools say that fatty and sugary foods are creating overweight children who have many health problems now and will be much more susceptible to a spate of other health problems later in life" (Junk Food in Schools). Some of these health problems include “‘increased risk for developing heart disease and stroke, gallbladder disease, arthritis, and endometrial, breast, prostate and colon cancers,’ according to the USDA report" (Junk Food in Schools). These are all very serious health problems that children should not be made susceptible to, especially not at school. It is also these types of health issues that should force us to analyze the importance of selling nutritious food to students.

It is time that we realize just how serious the issue of selling children junk food in schools across the country is, and how it negatively affects not only children now but also in their futures. In order to do this we must value the health and wellbeing of our youth more than we do the money that junk food in schools generate. It is not too late to make a change.