Banning of Junk Food
Running head: SHOULD JUNK FOOD BE BANNED FROM SCHOOLS 1
Should Junk food be banned from Schools
Brooke A. Alderete
West Coast University
SHOULD JUNK FOOD BE BANNED FROM SCHOOLS 2
Banning junk food from schools has become the focus for child obesity. Many argue that there should a freedom of choice and that junk food has always been in schools so why would it be the reason for an increase in child obesity. Others respond by saying the lunches contain more sodium and fat and an increase in vending machines on school campuses make it easier for students to get junk food at any time. Junk food does play a very important role in children’s lives and type 2 diabetes is on the rise. Junk food from schools is only half the battle and the other is what parents feed their children. Students eat lunch at school five times a week and breakfast, dinner, and weekend meals are decided by parents, so a ban on junk food in schools wouldn’t have a great enough impact on the diets of children. Obesity is on the rise in America and “studies show that children are three times as likely to be overweight than they were twenty years ago” (Majumdar, 2011). It can cut the life span of a person with diseases like “type 2 diabetes that is on the rise in children” (Majumdar, 2011). and “heart disease and stroke that are more common in obese adults” (Majumdar, 2011 ). Tooth decay and vitamin deficiencies also play a role associated with junk food. High sugar food can make your teeth rot and foods that hold no nutritional value can result in deficiencies a child needs to develop and grow. Children with parents that are considered to be a normal weight are less likely to be overweight compared to children that have overweight parents. “Banning all junk food from a la carte lines during school lunch hours would result in an 18 percent reduction in overweight or obese students” ( Smith, 2010). A ban in school junk food could make some difference in a
Should Junk food be banned from Schools
Brooke A. Alderete
West Coast University
SHOULD JUNK FOOD BE BANNED FROM SCHOOLS 2
Banning junk food from schools has become the focus for child obesity. Many argue that there should a freedom of choice and that junk food has always been in schools so why would it be the reason for an increase in child obesity. Others respond by saying the lunches contain more sodium and fat and an increase in vending machines on school campuses make it easier for students to get junk food at any time. Junk food does play a very important role in children’s lives and type 2 diabetes is on the rise. Junk food from schools is only half the battle and the other is what parents feed their children. Students eat lunch at school five times a week and breakfast, dinner, and weekend meals are decided by parents, so a ban on junk food in schools wouldn’t have a great enough impact on the diets of children. Obesity is on the rise in America and “studies show that children are three times as likely to be overweight than they were twenty years ago” (Majumdar, 2011). It can cut the life span of a person with diseases like “type 2 diabetes that is on the rise in children” (Majumdar, 2011). and “heart disease and stroke that are more common in obese adults” (Majumdar, 2011 ). Tooth decay and vitamin deficiencies also play a role associated with junk food. High sugar food can make your teeth rot and foods that hold no nutritional value can result in deficiencies a child needs to develop and grow. Children with parents that are considered to be a normal weight are less likely to be overweight compared to children that have overweight parents. “Banning all junk food from a la carte lines during school lunch hours would result in an 18 percent reduction in overweight or obese students” ( Smith, 2010). A ban in school junk food could make some difference in a
Bibliography: Antwerp, V., (February 28, 2011). The Pros of Junk Food Sales in Schools. eHow. Retrieved March 17, 2011 from http://www.ehow.com/info_7999612_pros-junk-food-sales-schools.html Gorman, L., ( 2011, February 11). Junk Food Availability in Schools Raises Obesity. NBER. Retrieved March 17, 2011from http://www.nber.org/digest/sep05/w11177.html Majumdar, M., (January 13, 2011). Banning Junkfood in Schools: Does it really work? Brighthub. Retrieved March17, 2011 from http://www.brighthub.com/health/diet-nutrition/articles/102759.aspx Maher, T., (2007, April 27). Banning Junk Food in Schools First Step to tacking Child Obesity. News Locale. Retrieved March 17, 2011 from http://www.newslocale.org/health/hnews/banning_junk_food_in_schools_first_step_in_tacking_child_obe sity_20070427306.html Smith, Steve., (2010, October 28 ).Schools that ban junk food are 18% lighter. Physorg. Retrieved March 17, 2011from http://www.physorg.com/news/2010-10-schools-junk-food-lighter.html Yasser, M., ( 2010, June 06).Unhealthy food, banning from schools. Idea. Retrieved March 17, 2011 from http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=760