You Are What You Eat: What are K-12 Public School Students Eating?
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

You Are What You Eat: What are K-12 Public School Students Eating?

A breakdown of how important school lunches really are.

78
You Are What You Eat: What are K-12 Public School Students Eating?
HowStuffWorks

Most of us have heard the phrase, “you are what you eat.” You probably haven’t morphed into a quesadilla or a plate of French fries (which would actually be kind of awesome), but this statement still does ring true in a variety of ways. What you eat can affect many important things such as your productivity, longevity, and overall health. Bottom line is your diet can seriously impact your quality of life. So, what does the average public school student’s diet (read: quality of life) consist of?

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, sixth graders in Franklin County, KY receive a significantly lower amount of nutrients (excluding iron) and energy from their school lunches than the recommended amounts of nutrient and energy intake per meal. Another study published in this journal has shown that children are consuming a large number of calories but most of these calories are useless in that they have little to no nutritional value. Not receiving appropriate amounts of nutrients can affect children in many ways, one of which is decreasing their productivity at school. The Harvard Business Review notes that what someone has for lunch can affect how well he or she performs at work or school for the rest of that day. High-fat foods like cheeseburgers and French fries do provide a lot of energy and calorie content, maybe a bit too much energy and calorie content. High-fat foods are much more difficult for the digestive system to break down. Therefore, oxygen content and the body’s energetic efforts are focused on the digestive system rather than in the brain. This causes students to have a “groggy” feeling, making it difficult for them to concentrate in class and be academically productive. Even more importantly, low-nutrient and high-fat diets put children at a greater risk for threatening health conditions like obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in five children between the ages 6-19 suffer from obesity. Of course, factors aside from school lunches also contribute to this staggering statistic, but unhealthy school lunches certainly do not help.

During the Obama administration, First Lady Michelle Obama worked towards creating and enforcing stricter nutritional guidelines for school lunches in an effort to fight childhood obesity. In May 2017, the Trump administration reduced most of these stringent guidelines, claiming that children were not eating the healthier lunches. If this claim is true, this only shows how deeply ingrained unhealthy eating is in the minds and habits of our children. Setting strict nutritional guidelines for school lunches sets a good example for children and promotes the health of our children, but if children are refusing to eat these lunches, this completely defeats the purpose of the guidelines. So how exactly can we get kids to eat healthier? According to CNN, investing in a professional chef to craft delicious and healthy meals for kids might not be such a bad idea. This is understandably not feasible for many public schools located in poorer areas unless they can receive help from federal or state governments to cover the funds. Increasing funding for public education (read: increasing burden on the taxpayer) is always a controversial topic of conversation, but I sincerely believe that investing in the health and future of our children is worth it. Ensuring that all children in the public school system have access to quality meals that they will actually enjoy is worth it to me. K-12 aged children are at critical points in their lives where they are beginning to form habits, and having a positive outlook on healthy eating will encourage better eating habits in adulthood. Children really are our future, so let’s feed them something a little more valuable than a $2 cheeseburger.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71532
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

133514
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments