Most people know the adage: You are what you eat. Thanks to modern technology and science, most people also know that a healthy, balanced diet and lifestyle are the key factors to ensure a healthy, balanced person. This adage is especially applicable to growing kids in their forming years. Then WHY do almost 30 percent of school children suffer from obesity and other forms of chronic illnesses such as allergies, diabetes, acne and overall poor health?
In earlier years, parents were totally in control of their children's meals and eating habits. Lunch boxes contained mostly sandwiches, fruit and healthy snacks to provide kids with the needed energy and nutrients for a long school day and there were few temptations other than swapping sandwiches or fruit with a classmate. Today, the old lunch boxes have been replaced by feeding schemes or tuck shops at schools. The more affluent kids buy whatever they fancy at the tuck shop, while kids from poor families often have nothing to eat or can only afford the cheapest sweets or gum available. The sad part is that school meal vending machines mostly stock unhealthy junk food with little or no nutritional value.
The concept of free school lunches originated in the early twentieth century around World War 11 when many countries were stricken by poverty and famine. Kids were fed state-subsidized breakfast or lunch at school. These meals consisted of whatever crop was available to eat and each country developed its own guidelines, menus and legislation for these feeding schemes.
Teaching kids healthy eating habits and the advantages of a balanced lifestyle is primarily the responsibility of parents and/or guardians, but since so many parents nowadays work full-time, many of those responsibilities are passed on to schools. Social-economic factors and ignorance also play a major role. Children follow by example and if the role models in their life are ignorant or don't practice what they preach, the kids will follow suit.
Entrepreneurs soon saw the gap and privately owned kiosks became a popular alternative to formal, regulated meal programs in more affluent countries and schools. Unfortunately, the profit to be made out of these fast food outlets played a bigger role than the quality or nutritional value of the food sold - with detrimental consequences.
Furthermore, it was found that the huge amounts of money that most countries invest in healthy school meal programs, are undercut by these vending machine traders as their products do not have to meet national nutritional standards. But who is to blame and how to fix the problem? In a capitalistic world where money is the driving force behind all major businesses, it is the youth - the future leaders - who pays the price for corporate greed.
Another age old adage is that knowledge/education begins at home. Children will follow whatever example is set. Adults (parents, teachers and government officials) will have to lead by example if they want to save the world's youth from the deadly side-effects of modern day's luxuries.
The only solution seems to be to instill a solid knowledge and love of healthy food in kids from a young age. That way they can make a calculated choice and demand healthy food at schools themselves.
In earlier years, parents were totally in control of their children's meals and eating habits. Lunch boxes contained mostly sandwiches, fruit and healthy snacks to provide kids with the needed energy and nutrients for a long school day and there were few temptations other than swapping sandwiches or fruit with a classmate. Today, the old lunch boxes have been replaced by feeding schemes or tuck shops at schools. The more affluent kids buy whatever they fancy at the tuck shop, while kids from poor families often have nothing to eat or can only afford the cheapest sweets or gum available. The sad part is that school meal vending machines mostly stock unhealthy junk food with little or no nutritional value.
The concept of free school lunches originated in the early twentieth century around World War 11 when many countries were stricken by poverty and famine. Kids were fed state-subsidized breakfast or lunch at school. These meals consisted of whatever crop was available to eat and each country developed its own guidelines, menus and legislation for these feeding schemes.
Teaching kids healthy eating habits and the advantages of a balanced lifestyle is primarily the responsibility of parents and/or guardians, but since so many parents nowadays work full-time, many of those responsibilities are passed on to schools. Social-economic factors and ignorance also play a major role. Children follow by example and if the role models in their life are ignorant or don't practice what they preach, the kids will follow suit.
Entrepreneurs soon saw the gap and privately owned kiosks became a popular alternative to formal, regulated meal programs in more affluent countries and schools. Unfortunately, the profit to be made out of these fast food outlets played a bigger role than the quality or nutritional value of the food sold - with detrimental consequences.
Furthermore, it was found that the huge amounts of money that most countries invest in healthy school meal programs, are undercut by these vending machine traders as their products do not have to meet national nutritional standards. But who is to blame and how to fix the problem? In a capitalistic world where money is the driving force behind all major businesses, it is the youth - the future leaders - who pays the price for corporate greed.
Another age old adage is that knowledge/education begins at home. Children will follow whatever example is set. Adults (parents, teachers and government officials) will have to lead by example if they want to save the world's youth from the deadly side-effects of modern day's luxuries.
The only solution seems to be to instill a solid knowledge and love of healthy food in kids from a young age. That way they can make a calculated choice and demand healthy food at schools themselves.
About the Author:
You can visit www.vendingmachinesschools.com for more helpful information about School Meal Vending Machines Encourage Unhealthy Eating Habits.
No comments:
Post a Comment