School Lunches the cause for Childhood obesity...

I find it hard to blame the school lunch when the same kids are going out for 'fast-food" for diner. I see a bigger problem w/ these overweight children just not getting any exercise. For a lot of these kids the school lunch is probably the healthiest meal they get all week. I hate to point fingers but mine go towards parents.

However, 1 meal a day at school is not the reason for obesity....the other meals, the snacks and the lack of exercise (recess in schools) is the reason for obesity.

My sentiments exactly.
If they want to place the blame of obesity on school lunch, then I really think funding would be put to better use for better nutrition and fitness education in schools. Then students can make healthier decisions at lunch. And at breakfast. And dinner. And for snacks. And on the weekends.

I also found it funny that they said kids eat 30-50% of their calories at school. Because, the thing is that the school year is only 9 months long. So, even if lunch did count for 30% of someone's calories (I don't know about you guys, but mine certainly does NOT), it would be 30% x 75% of the year and that equals 22.5%. :indifferent:

I think this is a great thing to do. Our school system last year firedthe food service that it had had for over 10 years and hired a group that uses all natural, local ingredients and makes all their own foods.
However, 1 meal a day at school is not the reason for obesity....the other meals, the snacks and the lack of exercise (recess in schools) is the reason for obesity.
One step at a time... I know.

I agree, childhood obesity is not a result of just school lunches. It's what their parents allow them to eat at home as well, and the fact that schools are cutting out more and more recess time, parents are not making their kids walk to school (reasonable distances) and most kids sit around on facebook and playing video games rather than getting exercise.

When I was a kid it was unheard of to drink anything but milk at the dinner table, McDonalds was a RARE thing, like maybe a few times a year, we were not only expected to but wanted to play outside after school and since elementary school and junior high was well within walking distance, we only got driven when it was raining.

But yeah, offering more healthy options and taking out pop machines is not a bad thing at all. I just hope parents realize they need to kick their kids off the computer more often and get them outside to play.

As for the school lunches (yes they need to be improved) but most schools are also now serving breakfast as well (and some do afternoon snacks)...that's three 'meals' a day at school. While the parents need to provide good nutritious foods at home (most likely this doesn't happen) the school is responsible for kids between the hours of usually 7:30-3:00 (that's a long time with no activity). Most schools have cut recess and some are doing away with gym class. In high school we were required to have PE/Health for 1 semester our Freshman year and that was it for gym for 4 years). My local elementry and middle schools have cut recess in half and PE is only done 3 days a week. It's up to us parents to make it known what we approve of in our schools. My daughter is in a private school because I approve of the lunches and the outdoor time. I wouldn't put her in public school ever...I'd homeschool if I didn't have any other options.

I feel that school meals should be changed and revamped. It isn't just the food that needs to change though. It is the attitude of the kids. Over-eating is a learned behavior from the time the children start eating table food. It can take a child up to 12 times of having an item before they decide if they like it or not. From my experience a lot of parents try foods and says the child doesn't like a certain item and won't serve them it anymore. Parents teach children how to eat and what choices to make. It really can't be blamed on schools and what they have to offer, but if the schools had healthier items it at least offers the children to make healthier food choices.

I work in child nutrition for pre-school. I plan meals and activities around food for children 1-5 years old. There are requirements that we have to follow for the foods we serve. It has to be a balanced meal low in fat, salt and sugar. We as adults are there to model and to help the children learn how to make more nutritious choices. Unfortunately, at my program, we only have the kids for 3 hours each day, 4 days a week. There isn't much revolutionizing one can do in that time period.

I'm blaming all of this on the video games. When I was a kid I loved video games...for maybe an hour or two on the weekend, when it was raining and I couldn't play outside. Other than that...I was outside any chance I could get. I remember being called in for dinner, cleaning my plate in 3.2 seconds so that I could get outside as fast as possible before the sun went down and I had to come home. Kids aren't like that anymore. They cry when their parents tell them to go outside and play. Are you guys aware that schools are starting to have to include social behaviors in their curriculum for 9 year olds now, they literally need to teach 9 year old kids how to play with each other because they dont know. They are so glued to technology that they are unable to make social connections with real human beings. Something has to be done about the lack of exercise. I used to eat like a hog when I was a kid, but I was running around so much that it didn't matter. Now of course my eating habits and slowing metabolism have caught up to me, but back in the day...not a problem. KIDS NEED TO GET ACTIVE! PARENTS NEED TO TAKE ACTION TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN!

Although I agree that school lunches are not very nutritionally sound, I don't think they are the sole cause of childhood obesity. The problem is, in my opinion, very complex for adults and children. As a society we are entirely too sedentary, there is an over-abundance of readily available food (most of it nutritionally empty) and very few people really understand sound nutrition. I know scores of parents who don't have a clue how to cook. I've met kids who've never had a home cooked meal much less a whole vegetable. It's a shame when a "home cooked" meal is microwave lasagna and store bought garlic bread. There are families who've NEVER made a salad. Restaurants generally don't offer much in the way of veggies, because people don't eat them.

And, rather we want to admit it or not, we use the "I'm too busy" crutch entirely too much. Our society has developed an "instant gratification" culture, that includes fast food and miracle diet pills.

But, at least going after better school lunches is a positive step in the right direction.

I agree that much of the blame should go to the parents. However, I also agree that school lunches are majority of the problem in many cases.

Obesity rates tend to be higher in low income areas. These are the kids that are eating breakfast and lunch at school and snacks at latchkey or day care. I can actually count on both hands some children who rely on those foods for all of their nutrition because there is no money for dinner in many of these families. I have been there myself. Telling my daughter to fill up and don't pass on the free stuff at school cuz we won't have dinner tonight. You can go to a food bank and you get the same low quality foods, so these people are just out of luck for the most part. Especially if they are in the city with no car. This means they can find a fast food place by foot instead of an actual grocery store. (Detroit has no chain grocery stores at all, just the cheapy places where you get proccessed foods) Or they have to budget food stamps at the corner liquor store. Ever check out the food at your local liquor store?

That being said, this article was in direct reference to the fact that the military has to turn people away because they are obese. Who is the most likely to head to the recruiters office in their senior year? The kids in the low income areas who can't get into or afford college. Or they need a quick solution to provide for their family. I grew up in the burbs and hung out in the city. Of all the different people I have known, the ones who joined the military were more likely to come from the city. My suburban friends all went to college to avoid the military...... Or they got into acedemic trouble, legal trouble, drug problems, or baby mamma drama and off they went. In my class of 400, only 3 joined the military by choice. 1 joined to kick a drug addiction and make himself look better 7 years after he dropped out.

I'm not saying that this removes parent responsibility from the low income areas. (And I'm not saying that suburban kids don't join the military. Just that recruits are more likely to come from the lower-class) But you can't look at all classes, demographics, or situations the same way. Its a completely different way of life. When you have to work 2,3, or 4 jobs, you're happy that your kid has anything to eat at all. You can't be picky when you can't afford to support your own family. You don't have time to worry about going to the park or taking a walk. Especially when the local park has been overtaken by gangs, drug dealers and prostitutes. And your street is not even safe enough to sit on the porch and watch your kids play on the lawn. You have to be greatful that the fact that, after you don't have any money left after you pay the rent and utilities, that your kid has a place to be that is free and they feed him/her. As hard as it is for most people to hear, the things we find important just complicate things for others.

I'm currently trying to get a Blessings in a Backpack program here in my community. I'm in an area where people used to be considered middle to upper class. The free lunch program was non-existant around here. Today more than half of the district relys on free lunch. Many of those families don't have enough food to feed their families over the weekend. The kids get chicken nuggets, pizza, burgers, etc. They have a salad bar, but the kids take the pudding and jello before they will touch the real food. Most of the foods served are unrecognisable. And every meal comes with chocolate milk and a "treat". Breakfast is bagels, pop tarts, doughnuts, cereal, and cereal bars. Snacks are crackers, cookies, or leftover cereal.

I think we all tend to look at the world through our own eyes. Its easier to look at someone and pick out the faults that you think are the cause of their problem. You really don't know unless you have been there; that certain things we take for granted, no matter how neccessary to "our vision" of a decent quality of life, are too far advanced for another persons concern. You have to crawl to walk. If you have to choose between a thrid meal and a walk over a shut off notice and hiding inside from local violence, which one wins? You already had lunch and got to play at recess at school. Lets just turn on the TV and eat these chips so we can be safer.

I think fresh foods in schools coupled with proper education to parents is a great start. That is what the article said they were advocating for. Sorry to go on for so long. This happens to be a priority in my life right now. I'm in Michigan. There are people with college degrees working at McDonalds. Guess what you can afford to feed your family when you work in fast food? Yup, fast food and whatever you can buy with foodstamps. Guess how often you get to spend time with your kids? Not as often as someone with a regular schedule. Guess where your priorities go when you are struggling to keep your home from forclosure and keep the heat and lights on? Not to healthy food and exercise, thats for sure. What good is fresh food when you have no gas or electricity?

OK, I'm done.

I'm blaming all of this on the video games.

Sorry to crash your theory here, but I've never enjoyed video games. I was an overweight child, an obese teenager, and grew into being a very obese adult, topping out at over 270 pounds. :noway:
So, video games may compound the issue, but it's certainly not completely the fault of video games by any stretch.
I for one simply didn't know how to know better. :ohwell:
At least I've figured it out now.

My boyfriend, on the other hand, loves video games. So much so that he not only spends a lot of his free time playing them, but he also programs and sells them. He's about 15 pounds overweight and this is pretty much the biggest he's ever been.

We ate the same school lunches when I was a kid, but we also had PE for 30-45 minutes where we ran, played ball games, and did other physical activities. Then when I got home, I was often outside on my bike. Yes we played video games too even then but we also enjoyed being outside just as much.

But I also know that I while I didn't grow up in the best neighborhood, we had it much better than kids growing up in urban areas plagued with crime, and no grocery stores with healthy choices available, and parents barely able to provide them a roof over their head.