Childhood obesity is a growing national problem in public schools. Federal, state, and local policymakers and practitioners recognize the need to take strong action. Public schools are playing a central role in fighting childhood obesity despite both political and financial constraints. But schools should do even more to reduce the availability of junk food, make school meals more nutritious, and increase students' daily exercise. Today, nearly a third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese. That's more than 23 million kids and teenagers. I have always had an interest and concern with obesity in children that attend public schools. If we don't act to reverse this alarming trend, we're in danger of raising the first generation of American children who will live sicker and die younger than the generation before them.
Obesity is one of the nation's most serious health problems. Until recently, most Americans regarded weight as a matter of personal choice. But as the number of obese children has tripled over the past three decades, that view of obesity has grown to seem unhealthy, if not dangerous. The serious health risks of obesity, combined with rapidly rising obesity related health care costs, warrant not only public attention but also public action and spending. Below is an article that I found to be very enlightening.
http://www.wjcc.k12.va.us/content/admin/studentservices/ship/index.html
My child's school has implemented a healthy snack system at school. They eat fruits and veggies at snack time rather than junk food. Most of the kids actually love it.
ReplyDeleteIn reading this article about the "SHIP" program, I find it very interesting that one of the viewing the vision of success is when the parents are actively engaged in and supporting their children health. I worked in an elementary school and I observed on a daily basis where the children were allowed to eat whatever they wanted. Most kids chose the high-calorie foods. Fried this and fried that, and they did not drink water. Fruits were apart of their lunch, but I saw whole apples and oranges being thrown into the garbage daily. Those who brought their lunch had whole sodas packed with pre-packaged junk also. The schools should not have to combat this problem alone.
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