Should Schools Offer Healthier Lunch Options?
What's for lunch? Is your tray stacked high with French fries and other greasy foods? Or is your school offering a health-conscious lunch with whole-wheat bread and salad bars?
Some schools, like Parklawn Elementary School in Virginia are trying their best to promote healthy foods. They're serving up low-fat yogurt, baked chicken legs, and fresh veggies. But it's not always easy for school to change their menu. Last year, when a high school in the same county tried to ban French fries, they were met with disagreement from students and their parents. The fries are now served three days a week.
Unfortunately, not all schools are not healthy conscious. "Most kids still go to school where there's junk food," said Margo Wootan, nutrition policy director for the Center of Science in the Public Interest. And even when the food is healthier, the schools continually sell fries and doughnuts, and the hallways are filled with vending machines stocked with calorie-packed snacks. Officials say exclusive contracts with soda companies bring in the big bucks and help pay for the textbooks and SAT fees.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity is rising at an alarming rate. Thirty years ago, the average 10-year-old girl weighed 77 pounds, that's almost 10 pounds less than the 10-year-olds today.
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