Antonio Reybol
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/21/us/politics/new-rules-planned-on-school-vending-machines.html?scp=1&sq=Vending%20machines%20in%20school&st=cse
Summary: This article talks about how the Obama administration is trying to put healthier foods in vending machines at schools. It is said that 19% - 50% of students daily intake of food are at school. Because of this, the Obama administration wants to provide healthier foods, especially since childhood obesity has tripled in the past 30 years. This idea of restricting the food children eat at school has been very controversial because cafeteria food has already been changed from high amounts of sugar, salt and fat foods, to lower amounts. How much healthy can it get? Some schools worry that these regulations will affect what is sold in found - raisers because these found - raisers are for sports, music, and art programs. Also, this may result in not making enough money. However, not all "unhealthy" foods are banned, the count and amount of fats and what not, are reduced. For example, foods are served baked, instead of fried, and provide foods that have low sodium. The transition of providing and serving healthier foods is still in progress, as we can tell even in our own cafeteria.
Question: Do you think that it is the Obama administration's responsibility to provide these healthier foods in schools? As individuals, we have the choice to eat what we want, but do you think if we are surrounded by healthy foods, that we are more likely to eat what is being provided? Do you think this will lower the percent of obesity?
I think the government should TRY to alleviate obesity through school food; however, i personally think it is virtually impossible to prevent children from eating unhealthy foods. Even if the government placed a ban on placing vending machines in schools, these students would eventually go to a near by convenient store to fulfill their needs.
ReplyDeleteExample: our school does not sell soda (it does again.. i don't know why), but regardless, students will find a way to get what they want. For students at Sacred Heart, it means going to the corner store to get their fried chips, or their non-diet sodas.
Obama's administration is trying to alleviate obesity through school cafeteria food alone, but in order for this campaign to be successful, the president needs to place a higher emphasis on eating healthy all the time, not just at school.
i think the government should be sort of involved in providing us with some healthy choices with eating. but sometimes people tend to not eat what is provided because they have to buy and pay for it. they can probably get their own food from home, but sometimes people are to lazy to pack food and would rather buy it instead. if we are more surrounded by healthy food than junk food, i think people would eat it more because when they are hungry, they should not be picky and eat whatever they have or what is provided for them.
ReplyDeleteI think Obama's administration definitely has the right intentions in trying to change the way that children eat food. Junk food has become a lot more accessible to people than before, and therefore fast food has a higher chance of being eaten. It usually tastes better, gets done quicker, and costs less. If the government could promote healthy foods like that, the obesity rate would definitely lower. People might object saying that the government can't control what people, especially children eat. However when it comes to the children who are ultimately the future of this country, everyone needs to think of the greater good.
ReplyDeleteI think the government should actually focus on altering the price inflation of foods. There have been many reports that show poverty in neighborhoods tend to have a higher rate of obesity. You can easily buy more food items with $10 dollars whereas you can buy really little vegetables and fruits.
ReplyDeleteI like how the Obama Administration realizes that this is a problem; however their method won't work. Students should be able to choose what they want to eat but instead, the administration should work to have school cafeterias offer a wider variety of foods for students to choose from, at fairly equal prices, instead of only having a specific type of food for students to choose from.
The government, as a few has said, is trying to help with the best intentions but Its up to the individual to decide whether or not to eat healthy. The gov should not intervene on what we eat at school because as it was stated above we could still go to a corner store to get those types of foods.
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