Running Head: CHILDHOOD OBESITY

Childhood Obesity
English 122
Professor Jennifer Miller

CHILDHOOD OBESITY
Children eat two meals a day at school where they are receiving the most calories of their
day. Although schools do offer recess and athletic programs, students sit the majority of the
school day. The definition of obesity is, A condition characterized by the excessive
accumulation and storage of fat in the body. (Merriam-Webster, 2012) Childhood obesity, when
left unaddressed, can turn into adult obesity. In one study of obese children, 70 percent showed at
least one cardiovascular disease risk factor, and 39 percent had two or more. (Freedman, Mei,
Srinivasan, Berenson, Dietz, 2007,) High blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes are all risk
factors for children overweight, which grows into a much larger problem as they grow into
adulthood. With the rise of childhood obesity in America, school meals should be focused toward
healthier food with fewer calories. Small steps such as offering salads instead of fries should be
taken to help students make better choices.

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The rise in obesity has caused controversy over who is at fault for the overweight
problem. While children are in school to learn, eating habits are also being taught. The rise of
video games and television has more children staying in rather than going outside to play. Many
Children have both parents working late hours and are home alone watching television, and
eating what they want. There are healthy foods out there in stores, but the price of them is often
much more than fatty foods. Many people want to buy healthier foods for themselves as well as
their children, but due to money they cannot.
School meals are cooked on a budget, which often leads to buying cheaper foods such as
chicken nuggets, french fries, and pizza. The meals children receive at school are loaded with
calories. When they come home, they get little to no exercise. Children need a balanced
nutritional breakfast and lunch. Breakfast and Lunch fuel students by giving them what they
need to stay focused. If the foods at school are weighing them down, they are sluggish and tired
not focused and alert. Michelle Obamas view on obesity in the classroom is that they are
operating on too much sugar and not enough substance. (Meacham, 2010, pg.36) Schools
should be offering healthier food choices such as salads, rather than pizza. With intake of calories
they should also be enforcing stricter physical exercise. Children are impressionable and need to
be guided into making smarter and healthier choices than generations before them.
The advertising for unhealthy foods is allowed in schools, and students have access to
those products not only in the cafeteria, but also in between classes. (Center for Disease Control
and Prevention, 2011, n.p.) Students are not just being coaxed into high-calorie and fatty foods at
school they are also being sold on those foods at home. The advertising for unhealthy foods is
greater, by far, than it is for healthy foods. (Institute of Medicine, 2005, n.p.) Adolescent males
consume, on average, around 300 calories from sugar drinks each day. High consumption of
sugar drinks, which have few, if any, nutrients, has been associated with obesity. (Center for

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Disease Control and Prevention, 2011, n.p.) Schools all over the United States, as well as the
world, offer vending machines packed with sugar loaded drinks.
Health experts and others who fret about kids' growing waistlines are trying to
reverse years of lousy diets and a free-fall in physical activity. They recently won
a hard-fought battle to limit the sales of junk food and sodas in all schools,
starting in July 2007. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed bills that not only
restrict those sales, but set fat and sugar standards on food sold in public schools.
(Matlosz, 2005, n.p.)
The research shows that "Kids today identify with the items that are sold in the fast-food
chains," says Samuel Petracca, director of food services for the 10 Passaic public schools, where
7,000 lunches are served each day. "They like finger foods, not meals you eat with a knife and
fork. This is the fast-food generation. (Black, 1986, n.p.) The real issue, and underlying
problem of obesity, is the negative effect of self-esteem in overweight children. (Meacham, 2010,
pg.36) With programs such as, Lets Move, and Nickelodeons get out and play day, children are
being encouraged to get up and be active. Schools, parents, and communities should be involved
in the process of changing childrens health. For a child to learn how to be healthy they have to
be taught. This type of teaching starts in school.
With the change of school menus also comes opposition. With little to no funding from
the government for the new and improved school menu, the cost of school lunches will rise. In
Tooele, Utah the cost of lunch per day will rise 14 cents per student. The government will only
pay up to 6 cent more per child enrolled in school there leaving the rest owed to the parents. The
USDA is also making significant changes in the way schools parties go. For example, a typical
pizza party for good behavior, no more. Classroom Christmas parties and Valentines Day
parties, where the children are hyped on sugar then sent home, are being called to end. (Ball,

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2011, n.p.) "We're not trying to be the cupcake police," says Jean Daniel, a spokeswoman for the
USDA. "But let's look at helping kids make the right choices." (Ball, 2011, n.p.)
Many parents feel that the need for healthy food is necessary but places like Chick-Fil-A,
have helped in raising money for the needs of schools. (Ball, 2011, n.p.) Emily Burns, a mother
of three who sits on a PTA board at a Tulsa elementary school says they made $800 at a Chickfil-A night. (Ball, 2011, n.p.) People feel bad about the fried food, she admits a bit sheepishly,
but its $800 and that can a piece of equipment for our school. (Ball, 2011, n.p.)
In Dallas, Texas, the head of food and child-nutrition operation reports that many of kids
there are eligible for free or reduced lunches. (Ball, 2011, n.p.) This would free the parent from
the burden of paying extra, but the government would front the bill, making the parents of the
students who do not qualify for free or reduced lunches to pay more. Little Valley Academy in
Chicago has completely banned outside lunches at school. Parents are angry claiming schools
have no right to tell them they cannot pack their childrens lunch anymore. (Goodwin, 2011, n.p.)
The principal of Little Village Academy states, Nutrition wise, it is better for the children to eat
at the school. (Goodwin, 2011, n.p.) Parents are not the only ones annoyed by this new rule;
students feel as well this is far from being fair. (Goodwin, 2011, n.p.)
In 2011, Congress denied the new school rules that USDA wanted to make in school
lunches. (Nixon, 2011, n.p.) The Proposed changes- the first in 15 years to the $11 billion
school lunch program- were meant to reduce childhood obesity by adding more fruits and green
vegetables to lunch menus, Agriculture Department officials said. (Nixon, 2011, n.p.) Food
companies such as ConAgra, Del Monte Foods, and Schwan argued that the cost of food would
be raised and many children would simply just toss it away. (Nixon, 2011, n.p.) The companies
called the Congressional response reasonable, adding that the Agriculture Department went too
far in trying to improve nutrition in school lunches. (Nixon, 2011, n.p.)

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Childhood obesity has risen with each year passed. The struggle to find ways to solve it
has left America without an answer. The rise in cost is an issue, but with work and negotiation a
way can be found to make school meals healthy. Children are worth the extra money. It may be
more expensive to provide healthy food in schools, but kids need a healthy start in life. The
future of children is in the schools hands. If schools do not step up and change the school menu
then children will continue to become obese.
References:
Ball, K. (2011) Parents, Principals Dont Like School Lunch Rules. TIME U.S. n.p. Retrieved
from: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2044463,00.html
Black, J. (2011, February 24). School Lunch Is Not the Answer. Slate (USA) n.p. Retrieved
January 15, 2012, from NewsBank on-line database (Access World News)
Black, R., TODAYS SCHOOL LUNCH: A VARIED CURRICULUM. The Record (New
Jersey) Oct. 8, 1986. Retrieved from:
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E564D44BD52216ADD385B97?p_multi=BRCB&s_lang=en-US
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2011) Childrens Food Enviroment State Indicator
Report. n.p. Department of Health and Human Services Centers Retrieved from:
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/downloads/ChildrensFoodEnvironment.pdf
Freedman, D.S., Khan, L.K., Dietz, W.H., Srinivasan, S.R., Berenson, G.S. (2001) Relationship
of Childhood Obesity to Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors in Adulthood: The
Bogalusa Heart Study. American Academy of Pediatrics. Vol. 108, No. 3. pg. 712-718.
Retrieved from: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/108/3/712.short
Gleason, P., Suitor, C.W. (2003). Eating at School: How the National School
Lunch Program Affects Childrens Diets, American Journal of Agricultural
Economics, 85:4 (November), pp. 1047-1061.

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Goodwin, L., (2011) Chicago school bans homemade lunches, the latest in national food fight.
The Lookout. n.p. Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/chicago-schoolbans-homemade-lunches-latest-national-food-20110411-092947-380.html
Kimbro, R.T., Rigby, E. (2010) School lunch programs can reverse child obesity. HOUSTON
CHRONICLE. n.p. Retrieved from:
http://www.chron.com/opinion/outlook/article/School-lunch-programs-canreverse-child-obesity-1700009.php

Koplan, J.P., Liverman, C.T., Kraak, V.I., Wisham, S.L. (2007) Progress in Preventing
Childhood Obesity Retrieved from: http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ashford/docDetail.action?
docID=10170922&p00=childhood%20obesity
Matlosz, F.C. (2005). Shaping Up- Lawmakers and educators get tough on kids health. The
Fresno Bee. D1, 0415930841
Meacham, J. (2010) Michelle Obama: We Just Need Common Sense The first lady on what it
takes to battle obesity. Newsweek Vol. 122. Issue: 13.pg.36. Retrieved from:
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E564D44BD52216ADD385B97?p_multi=NWEC&s_lang=en-US
Merriam, Webster, (2012) N.P. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Retrieved from:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obesity
Nixon, R. (2011) Congress Blocks New Rules on School Lunches. New York Times. N.P.
Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/us/politics/congressblocks-new-rules-on-school-lunches.html?_r=1

OCarroll, T., OCarroll, S.S. (2012) How to Fix School Lunch - Celebrity chefs, politicians and
concerned parents are joining forces to improve the meals kids eat every day. Newsweek
(U.S. Edition ed.), 50. Retrieved from NewsBank on-line database (Access World News)
Parker, L., Burns, A.C., Sanchez, E. (2009) Local Government Actions to prevent Childhood
Obesity Retrieved from http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ashford/docDetail.action?
docID=10379893&p00=childhood%20obesity

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Reedy, J., Krebs-Smith S.M. (2010) Dietary sources of energy, solid fats, and added sugars
among children and adolescents in the United States. J Am Diet Associates;
110(10):1477-84 (2005, August 8).
How to Fix School Lunch - Celebrity chefs, politicians and concerned parents are joining forces
to improve the meals kids eat every day. Newsweek (U.S. Edition ed.), 50. Retrieved
January 15, 2012, from NewsBank on-line database (Access World News)