Childhood Obesity In Schools Essay

Schools Role in Childhood Obesity Schools play a large role in childhood obesity. The food and beverages they offer for lunch and snacks are not usually healthy. Schools need more activity time for students, such as sports during PE and more exercises. Not all students participate in the activities, they need something all students can do and enjoy. What role does school take in childhood obesity? School lunch should not offer such a variety of food; some schools have several lunch lines, however only one or two of these lines are healthy foods. Children should be able to choose what they want to eat, but they should have to choose between healthy options. Lunchrooms offer milk, orange juice, and chocolate milk for students, some offer fountain drinks
Vending machines are not a good idea for children. “More unhealthy snacks in school and less demanding physical education programs raise the risk for childhood obesity” say medical experts. Some states have banned vending machines from schools, others have changed the food and beverages available in vending machines and limited students access to them. On the other hand, schools need to have better physical education programs. Most schools let the children decide if they want to take PE or not, this should not ever be an option, children need the activity in their lives. PE should be mandatory for everyone in school every year until they graduate. Nearly one-third of elementary schools do not schedule recess on a regular basis. Physical Education is an important factor in childhood obesity. “PE not only gives children the time to be active during schools, but it also teaches them how to be active throughout their lifetime” (American Heart Association). The American Heart Association is working to make sure each student in elementary and middle schools have physical education during their school days, also to make sure PE is required for high school students to