Childhood Obesity and Elementary School Cafeteria Food

School Lunch Stats

• Overweight and obesity issues are real problems for school children across the country. Since 1980, the rate of childhood obesity has doubled, the CDC site reports, and school lunches receive part of the blame. Many school lunches, such as burgers and fries or pepperoni pizza, are high in calories and low in nutrients, according to a 2013 article published in Pediatrics. While many children who eat school lunch are already overweight or obese, there does seem to be a connection between the consumption of school lunches and these conditions.

School Lunches Are Nutritious?

• Yes, federally funded school lunch programs must meet certain guidelines, but these are far from the nutritional stats you would expect. For example, certain schools allow the students to choose either a fruit or a vegetable, but don't require them to eat a serving of each. Further, many school cafeterias don't provide a full serving of fruits or vegetables either. According to Education.com, schools receive more funding when more students eat. To meet that goal, many schools are turning to fast food to "cater" school lunches to encourage more kids to purchase a hot lunch.

Making Improvements

• Many schools have made a huge step in admitting that the fare they cook up each day isn't nutritious and could be contributing to the childhood obesity crisis. In the past, school cafeterias made everything from scratch, which is a healthy way to reduce a child's intake of saturated fat, sugar and sodium. In recent decades, however, the push for processed food has occurred because it's cheaper and requires less labor, according to the Kaiser Health News publication. Some schools are realizing the error of their ways and are making an attempt to cook school lunches that are lower in calories and higher in nutrients. Cooking from scratch, reducing the number of desserts served, nixing fast foods and offering salad bars are among the ways that certain schools are trying to make changes to improve the health of American children.

Making It Happen

• Schools play a vital role in educating children about health and nutrition, the CDC website reports. Schools that are taking this job seriously are going beyond improving school lunches. Many schools have banned soda machines and vending machines that stock candy, cookies and other unhealthy treats. In fact, banning these is law in most states, according to NBC News. Parents can get involved by talking with school cafeteria workers and school administrators to come up with healthy alternatives. Packing your child's lunch is another way to provide a healthier meal.