The Importance Of School Nutrition

Elementary students that have a positive perception of school meals tend to be more satisfied with the school foodservice and nutrition program; therefore they are more likely to participate in the school food program (Meyer, 2005). As student progress their tastes change and to keep up with those changes the school food environment tends to become increasingly less healthy (Finkelstein et al., 2008). These less healthy choices are more options for food opportunities that compete with the main lunch line that provides healthier options. The majority of US high schools sell competitive food items in the cafeteria through vending machines, a la carte lines, or school stores. School policies might also allow students to leave campus during lunch time. Competitive foods are often low-nutrient,

School meal programs play an important role in the nutritional adequacy of students’ diets. Dietary adequacy is of the utmost importance for students with their nutrient requirements to sustain normal growth and development. Even mild nutrient deficiencies can end with negative long-term effects on growth and function (Sampson et al., 1995).

New research on the ramifications of food insecurity on various aspects of child health, such as academic achievement and psychological behavior, demonstrated that it is an important risk factor in child development. Food insufficiency and low socioeconomic status are health concerns for American children (Alaimo et al., 2001) because they have been linked with certain developmental consequences (Jyoti et al., 2005). One of the possible outcomes of food insufficiency and low socioeconomic status is increase in BMI. Overweight and obese children were found to have an increased instance of medical and psychological issues. They were