Obesity Proposal to Superintendent

Michele Noel
English 101-132
December 14, 2010
Dr. José M. Torres
Superintendent of School District U-46
District U-46 School Board
355 E. Chicago Street
Elgin, Illinois - 60120

Dear Mr. Torres, I would like to thank you for the excellent work that district U-46 has accomplished over the year in academic results, but there is still more that can be improved. According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academics (IMNA), “About nine million children over six years are considered obese” (Monghan). Obesity taking over about 20 percent of a person’s body is considered a disease because it is associated with so many health problems, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, and etc. Children are starting to get diseases and health problems that have previously been seen in adults such as: type 2 diabetes and asthma. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Approximately 300,000 deaths a year in this country are currently associated with people being overweight and obesity” (Satcher). Also, “Obesity incidences among American children have dangerously climbed from 5% in the 1980s to 15.3% in 2000” (“Fighting”). Recent articles and data have shown me that there are solutions available to put end to childhood obesity. I’m asking for your support to put the pressure on schools to serve healthier and more nutritious lunches to students in order to reduce the childhood obesity in our children. One of the solutions in reducing childhood obesity is to make mandatory physical education classes, and also lengthen the time period of the P.E. classes. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) recommends that, “Schools should provide 150 minutes of instructional physical education for elementary school children, and 225 minutes for middle and high school students per week for the entire school year.” Also, NASPE believes that “A quality physical education program provides learning opportunities, appropriate instruction, meaningful and challenging content and student and program assessment.” Although it is a solution, it may not be the best solution due to the fact that it requires time to be cut from other classes, hire more faculty members, or lengthen school hours. Therefore, it contributes with lot more cost than just serving healthier and more nutritious lunches. Another solution in reducing childhood obesity is to add health education classes earlier in the education system. Starting them in elementary school would help support this solution. Some may say how health education classes are going to help. Well, health education classes should be set in a way where they include activities in the area of nutrition, mental health, safety, disease prevention, human life cycle, violence prevention, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. By doing this kids’ will understand the purpose of life and the causes of health problems. Recent studies have shown that making changes to social and health education environments that make the healthy choice the easy choice will have the greatest impact on reducing and preventing obesity (Benjamin, MD, MBA). While this may be a help with reducing childhood obesity, it still does not stop people from avoiding and ditching the classes. Also, adding another class in the education system will only make the day longer or take away time from the other classes therefore, by serving the healthier meals in the lunch line can reduce childhood obesity without making a lot of other changes to the curriculum of the day. Lastly, to reduce childhood obesity in our children is to serve them healthier and more nutritious meals in the lunch line. Nutrition is an essential building block for student success. Serving healthier and more nutritious meals not only will help reduce childhood obesity, but they will also help improve the academic results of the school as well. According to the article, “Research suggests that a healthier school environment can result in greater academic achievement and healthier lives for students and school staff. Healthy students perform better, attend school more and behave better in class” (“Guidelines”). While school lunches may need further development in order to be a perfect solution, this is the direction we need to go in order to reduce childhood obesity among our children. Of course, the healthier lunches can be costly, but they are not as costly as America’s future. There are other solutions to reduce childhood obesity, but they are more costly than just preparing healthier lunches. Also, to cover the cost of healthier lunches, there are many federal and state programs provided by the U.S. Government. For example, the U.S. house passed “The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010” (DeFiglio), meaning more federal funding will go towards making sure children eat well at schools. According to Pam DeFiglio, “The bill aims to reduce both obesity and hunger and improve children’s prospects to live healthier over their lifetimes. It provides an additional $4.5 billion for school lunches over a 10 year period (DeFiglio). This bill is a major improvement to children’s nutrition programs in decades; therefore, schools should prepare lunches that are healthier and more nutritious to reduce childhood obesity. Taking into consideration that in the year 2000, HHS research shows the total cost of obesity for children and adults in the U.S. were estimated to be $117 billion (“Childhood”), the cost of the lunch programs are small. Childhood obesity can potentially ruin the health of an entire generation; therefore, school lunches need to be healthy and nutritious. Shouldn’t children have more to look forward than diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma? My appeal is that district U-46 will look into this healthier/more nutritious lunch program and push toward the U-46 schools and around the nation as well in order to reduce childhood obesity in our nation. I am willing to help in any possible way that I can but I am just one person; therefore, I have appealed to the district U-46 who has a far reaching voice. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,

Yatin Patel
1120 A Blackhawk Dr. Apt. # 5
Elgin, Illinois-60120

Works Cited
Benjamin, MD, MBA, Regina M. "Childhood Obesity: Beginning the Dialogue on Reversing the Epidemic." United States Department of Health and Human Services. 4 Mar. 2010. Web. 9 Dec. 2010.
"Cause and Effect of Obesity Definition of Obesity & Causes of Childhood Obesity." Stop Childhood Obesity. 2009. Web. 8 Dec. 2010.
"Childhood Obesity." Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, HHS. 29 Nov. 2010. Web. 07 Dec. 2010.
DeFiglio, Pam. "Federal Bill Serves Healthier Lunches - Skokie, IL Patch." Skokie, IL Patch - News, Sports, Events, Businesses & Deals. 7 Dec. 2010. Web. 08 Dec. 2010.
"Fighting The Shocking Statistics Of Childhood Obesity | Loss Weight." Clenbuterol for Sale - Buy Clenbuterol, Weight Loss, Cycle, Side Effects. 06 Oct. 2010. Web. 06 Dec. 2010.
Guidelines, Foods. "Healthier School Foods and Beverages." Alliance for a Healthier Generation: Combating Childhood Obesity by Creating Healthy Schools, Empowering Youth Leaders, Healthcare, Healthier School Food and Beverages. 2009. Web. 11 Dec. 2010.
"Health and Physical Education." Clayton County Public Schools. 2010. Web. 11 Dec. 2010.
Monaghan, Erin. "Signs and Solutions to Childhood Obesity - TopTenREVIEWS." Online Diet Services Review 2011 | Online Diet Plan, Weight Loss & Personal Health - TopTenREVIEWS. 14 Aug. 2006. Web. 11 Dec. 2010.
"NASPE Physical Education Guidelines." American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance - AAHPERD. 2010. Web. 11 Dec. 2010.
"Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Childhood | DNPAO | CDC." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 31 Mar. 2010. Web. 10 Dec. 2010.
Pakhare, Jayashree. "Childhood Obesity Statistics and Facts." Buzzle Web Portal: Intelligent Life on the Web. 2010. Web. 11 Dec. 2010.
Satcher, David. "2001 Report on Overweight and Obesity - Foreword From the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services." Office of the Surgeon General (OSG). 11 Jan. 2007. Web. 06 Dec. 2010.

Cited: "Childhood Obesity." Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, HHS. 29 Nov. 2010. Web. 07 Dec. 2010. Guidelines, Foods. "Healthier School Foods and Beverages." Alliance for a Healthier Generation: Combating Childhood Obesity by Creating Healthy Schools, Empowering Youth Leaders, Healthcare, Healthier School Food and Beverages. 2009. Web. 11 Dec. 2010. "Health and Physical Education." Clayton County Public Schools. 2010. Web. 11 Dec. 2010. Monaghan, Erin Pakhare, Jayashree. "Childhood Obesity Statistics and Facts." Buzzle Web Portal: Intelligent Life on the Web. 2010. Web. 11 Dec. 2010. Satcher, David. "2001 Report on Overweight and Obesity - Foreword From the Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services." Office of the Surgeon General (OSG). 11 Jan. 2007. Web. 06 Dec. 2010.