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School Lunches
School Lunches

Brandon Burnett

Semester 1

School Lunches

Childhood obesity is a hot-button issue for parents, teachers, and the medical experts with different ideas and solutions on the issue. Some blame it on genetics, others say its a lack of physical activity and poor lifestyle choices. This has often led to the topic of school lunches, should schools only offer healthy options? Yes

"Cliques" and bullying can turn school into hostile situation for obese children. Which can end in tragic circumstances, like suicide. Intervention by parents, and the school system by offering only healthy options for lunch will create a safer and more pleasant environment, by lowering the number of overweight children, with sufficient exercise and correct nutrition can help create a culture of informed children.

In August of 2011 Katherine Zeratsky R.D., L.D. from the Mayo Clinic reported a condition called "Normal Weight Obesity." This is where a person can be the correct weight for there age and height and have a too high percentage of bodyweight, which can lead to medical conditions that are usually confined to adults. Which can lead directly to school lunches. For most students especially inner-city children who have the highest obesity rate according to Harvard School of Public Health. School lunch is their only source of food for the day. Unhealthy items such as chicken nuggets and pop will greater the risk for health problems later on in life. Having healthy food can come with a steep price tag for most schools.

Most schools do not offer school lunches simply because they can not afford it. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2009 that a school offering only health items would decrease food portions by 20 percent while increasing cost nearly 50 percent per student, which could be a turn off for most students. This where

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