Should Vending Machines Be Allowed In Schools

914 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: An essay on children's obesity

We have all heard our mothers yell at us one time or another about how that one bag of chips can lead to an enormous list of health problems. Ever stop to wonder why? Students all around the world are getting high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, and diabetes due to poorly-made eating choices. Schools are encouraging this by filling their vending machines with unhealthy snacks such as chips, soda, candy, and chocolate. Even though many students enjoy eating these unhealthy snacks, vending machines should encourage students to choose healthier alternatives to prevent health complications in the future.

In 2014, the U.S Department of Agriculture, or USDA, announced “Smart Snacks” to replace the snacks in vending machines. Snacks higher than 200 calories, immense in sodium, and high in sugar must be limited in vending machines and cafeterias at schools. Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, said: “Parents and Teachers work hard to instill healthy eating …show more content…

If a change in students’ eating habits doesn’t happen fast I am fearful that more and more kids will be impacted at such an early age. Already about 15,000 kids get diagnosed with diabetes and other diseases each year. Let’s stop this epidemic together. Hopefully, these “Smart Snacks” are just the beginning and I hope they make a positive impact on the world and prevent childhood obesity and diabetes. There are many alternatives to junk food. Instead of sugary drinks, water would be a good option. Fruit cups and granola bars can replace the addictive hot chips and sugary candy. You could even try to make something yourself at home. The options are endless. So next time your mom tells you to eat a granola bar instead of those chips, why not think about it. A small decision like this could make a large impact on your future. Isn’t it about time we make a change for

Show More
Related

  • Should Vending Machines Be Allowed In School?

    277 Words  | 1 Pages

    Vending machines should be allowed is because it provides snacks , candy , and drinks . I think vending machines should be allowed in school is because if you are hungry you can go up and by one . Also if you didn’t have breakfast you could get something to eat from there. Last it could help the students in school .

    Read More

  • School Lunches Are Unhealthy

    997 Words  | 2 Pages

    Unhealthy foods are what make the money for schools and that is why they serve them for students. (Schlafy) Schools feel like they need the extra money in the budget, even though it is at the student’s expense. Data shows that nearly 60% of all middle schools in the US serve soda from vending machines. (Schlafy) Soda is very high in sugar and is not at all good for children, but it is still sold in school vending machines. The ways food in schools is now are way too high in fats and sugars. This is not good for the children and very bad in the long run. Elementary schoolchildren have an estimated $15 billion of their own money that they can use to buy whatever they want in schools, and parents have almost another $160 billion to give students for food money. (Schlafy) Big businesses see this as a big source of profit and therefore encourage children to buy their products, and want them to be offered in school because of th4e likelihood of children buying the business’s product. All in all, obesity in the US is greatly influenced by the foods offered in schools

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Let's Really Reform Our Schools

    945 Words  | 2 Pages

    This doesn’t help kids focus in the classroom for hours after consuming these fatty and sugary foods. The kids will get a sugar high but then crash hours after and won’t be focusing in class but instead, falling asleep during an important lesson. Anita states that, “school cafeterias, of all places, should demonstrate how a healthy, low-fat, well-balanced diet produces healthy, energetic, mentally alert people,” and teaching this at high schools is the best place to change the food because in this generation, kids are becoming overweight and unhealthy because of all the “junk food” they are eating. Teenagers in high school tend to eat more when they are stressed, so if they serve unhealthy foods in the cafeterias then the student will eat the “junk food”, but if the “junk” is switched with fruits, vegetables, and some salads then the students wouldn’t have the sugar high and be focused

    Read More

  • Healthy Eating

    828 Words  | 2 Pages

    Americans eat entirely too much. And the foods we are consuming are not at all healthy, they contain excessive amounts of salt, sugar, saturated fat, carbohydrates, etc. This over eating is not only a severe problem in the adult population but also in America’s children as well. Results from a study performed by the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed that 1 to 2 year olds get 30 percent more of the 950 calories they require a day. It has also been found that another contributing factor to most children’s bad eating habits is the fact that they either rarely or never consume vegetables and fruit. Besides the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables children are consuming large amounts of sugar. Wether it be in candy or desserts, soda or sugary fruit juices children are beginning to consume these at very early ages. Results from another study performed by the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that infants are drinking soda out of baby bottles as early as 7 months of age. In response to these disturbing facts Parents magazine published the preceding article. It outlines 10 steps that can be taken to

    Read More

  • Child Obesity and School Lunch Programs

    1069 Words  | 3 Pages

    First of all, an increasing amount of kids are becoming overweight because their schools pressure them to eat sugary, fatty, and high-calorie foods. Not only do many schools promote consumption of harmful foods, many schools also actively serve them in school lunches. In 1963, 4% of kids were obese; currently, approximately 17% of kids are obese. Some might argue that kids themselves are the reason for the increase, because school lunches also provide healthier foods. Unfortunately, most kids do not have much of a choice - healthier foods are priced much higher than their unhealthy counterpart, consequently many parents do not want their kids to buy the more expensive, yet healthier product. In my 3½ years ...

    Read More

  • School Lunches

    2067 Words  | 5 Pages

    “More than a third of the county's children are overweight or obese.”(Gustin, 1). As shocking as this is, it's true. One of the big reasons that children and teens are overweight is because of the foods that they eat. They are fed these fattening and unhealthy foods by the school system. Their futures can be changed if we change our choices. Having more nutritious lunches can have a positive impact on the health of American teens.

    Read More

  • Why Vending Machines Should Be Banned From Schools

    1027 Words  | 3 Pages

    In “Hooked on ‘Caramel-Colored Gold,” Melody Nelson claims “Despite the increased awareness of the benefits of good nutrition, we are a nation hooked on junk food, and many school administrators are taking advantage of the situation ” (par. 3). Nelson propose a ban on vending machines in schools because junk food is unhealthy for children, and they risk future health problems. I agree with Melody Nelson and believe that vending machines should be banned from school campuses, because they sell unhealthy food, they cause more money to schools for hiring extra custodians, and they are affecting children learning abilities.

    Read More

  • Childhood Obesity is an Epidemic

    880 Words  | 2 Pages

    Consumption of soft drinks has an impact on childhood obesity. According to France Ellisle from France’s Institute of Health and Medical Research, there is a direct connection between weight gain and sugar. The average adolescent is consuming about fifteen to twenty teaspoons of sugar daily. (Scott, 2) Along with the sugar children are eating more and more fast food. The sit down dinner has come to an end. In most families both parents work fulltime leaving little time to prepare healthy meals. Parents look for food that is quick, cheap and satisfies the child. The problem with fast food is that has very little nutritious value and is often high in fat and salt content, with a good measure of preservative thrown in....

    Read More

  • Junk Food

    1307 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although there is a risk of upsetting people who are not worried about the health and wellbeing of today’s youth with selfish reasoning for wanting to keep junk food, ridding schools of junk foods will prove itself to be very beneficial. Children can choose healthier options without being ridiculed by others, wondering if what they are eating is good for them, and/or worrying about negative effects. One’s health cannot be overlooked as it is the livelihood of that person and much more. It is not a subject that can be taken lightly. Action to change the current conditions of America’s population’s

    Read More

  • Obesity Causes Diseases

    670 Words  | 2 Pages

    Some researchers claim that more than 300,000 Americans are dying due to obesity every year and the number is rising annually. That is a huge number and it can be fixed a number of ways but some individuals are lazy some can’t lose the weight because of medical reason. Obesity causes disease from diabetes to heart disease and in some cases death. Obesity in children is growing problems to children who are obese have a higher chance to get diabetes or heart failure. The school environment is one of several settings that can influence children’s food choices and eating habits. Schools can ensure that the available food and beverage options are healthy and help young people eat food that meets dietary recommendations for fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat or low-fat dairy products.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Obesity In Schools

    1254 Words  | 3 Pages

    Also, since over 12 million children are in child care centers every day, there are not any regulations against feeding children unhealthy food during the day (Salisbury). This impacts the growth and development of children at a young age. If the food is not regulated, than it is very possible that they could be prone to involuntary obesity. According to the Journal of School Health, students tend to gravitate toward less healthy foods and bigger portion sizes. Unfortunately, this leads us to another cause of obesity, which the increased portion of the foods and drinks that are in vending machines. This means that they are eating a lot of extra

    Read More

  • School Cafeterias and School Vending Machines

    665 Words  | 2 Pages

    To conclude, unhealthy foods in the cafeteria and the vending machines are the worst examples for the kids to maintain the healthy eating habits. Us Parents have to step in to make changes for our kids because in doing so would determine what kind of foods our kids are consuming. We do know for facts they are not getting the proper nutrients while in school, although they do spend in average of eight to 12 hours in schools. We, the parents, can start to make a difference, by attending the school meetings and being active in our kids functions in schools.

    Read More

  • Should Vending Machines Be Allowed In School

    229 Words  | 1 Pages

    Have you ever been hungry during class well I have. Kids need to eat in the mornings or else their stomach’s will be upset. That’s why we need a vending machine. Vending machines should be allowed in school because we get hungry sometimes. Sometimes we don’t eat breakfast in the morning.

    Read More

  • Why We Should Be Banned From Schools

    1860 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout this difficult debate I have made my opinion of the matter as if its a vague and distributive attitude towards us as citizens of the United States because we as residents or citizens depending on own situations will not go with what the government wants us to go through and we will not let them make our own decisions of either banning the vending machines at our schools. Furthermore my opinion of the matter of banning candy and soda at school or even vending machines is an obscure manner because we should make our own decisions in the matter of either choosing to eat these unhealthy high calorie snacks or to not eat them at all. In the general contexts in the other hand these unhealthy foods are a tragedy towards or bodies and if we consume too much of these high calorie snacks we will get health problems in the future which is a horrible attribute of consuming these unhealthy

    Read More

  • Schools Can Reduce Childhood Obesity

    2217 Words  | 5 Pages

    Childhood obesity is a health problem that is becoming increasingly prevalent in society’s youth. For a number of years, children across the nation have become accustomed to occasionally participating in physical activities and regularly snacking on sugary treats. In result of these tendencies, approximately one third of American children are currently overweight or obese (Goodwin). These grim statistics effectively represent all the lack of adult interference, in regards to health, has done to the youth of America. The habits of over consuming foods and under participating in physical activities are all too common in the children of today. Children cannot solve this issue alone, though. These young people need to essentially be given the opportunities to make positive health decisions and learn about good, nutritional values.

    Read More

More about Should Vending Machines Be Allowed In Schools

Open Document