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?
One of the biggest culprits of this modern day phenomenon can be found in the so-called school kiosk. Time is money and many parents prefer to give their kids pocket money or a daily food allowance to buy food at the school instead of packing lunch boxes. That would have been no problem IF they bought fruit, fruit juices and healthy meals or snacks. Unfortunately, the content of most school meal vending machines causes obesity and poor health as it mostly contains unhealthy snacks, sweets and sweetened cool drinks with little or no nutritional value.
Much has been said and written during the past decade about the alarming increase in obesity and other diet-related conditions among young children. There are many contributing factors, such as the electronic era of TV and TV-games and crime that keep kids indoors, but over-eating and indulging in junk food remain the biggest culprit.
The study found that a whopping 75 percent of drinks and 85 percent of snacks sold via these vending machines were of poor nutritional value. Most beverages were flavored sugary drinks such as soda, sports drinks and iced tea, while water formed only 12 percent of the overall beverages on offer.
Up to 80 percent of snacks consisted of candy, chips or sugar-laden confectioneries. Of the 9,723 total snack slots in vending machines that were surveyed, only 26 slots offered a fruit or vegetable. It was argued that vending machine trends do not only promote unhealthy eating habits, but also undermine all nutrition education that children receive in school or at home.
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.
Very few countries - only Finland, Sweden and Estonia - can afford to offer free meals at all their schools. In many countries, similar feeding schemes failed due to poverty, corruption or bad management. It remains the primarily duty and responsibility of parents to ensure that their kids develop healthy eating habits. However, educational institutions and governments also have a responsibility to ensure that whatever food are offered at schools, are nutritional and beneficiary, not harmful, to the kids they are intended for.
One of the biggest culprits of this modern day phenomenon can be found in the so-called school kiosk. Time is money and many parents prefer to give their kids pocket money or a daily food allowance to buy food at the school instead of packing lunch boxes. That would have been no problem IF they bought fruit, fruit juices and healthy meals or snacks. Unfortunately, the content of most school meal vending machines causes obesity and poor health as it mostly contains unhealthy snacks, sweets and sweetened cool drinks with little or no nutritional value.
Much has been said and written during the past decade about the alarming increase in obesity and other diet-related conditions among young children. There are many contributing factors, such as the electronic era of TV and TV-games and crime that keep kids indoors, but over-eating and indulging in junk food remain the biggest culprit.
The study found that a whopping 75 percent of drinks and 85 percent of snacks sold via these vending machines were of poor nutritional value. Most beverages were flavored sugary drinks such as soda, sports drinks and iced tea, while water formed only 12 percent of the overall beverages on offer.
Up to 80 percent of snacks consisted of candy, chips or sugar-laden confectioneries. Of the 9,723 total snack slots in vending machines that were surveyed, only 26 slots offered a fruit or vegetable. It was argued that vending machine trends do not only promote unhealthy eating habits, but also undermine all nutrition education that children receive in school or at home.
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.
Very few countries - only Finland, Sweden and Estonia - can afford to offer free meals at all their schools. In many countries, similar feeding schemes failed due to poverty, corruption or bad management. It remains the primarily duty and responsibility of parents to ensure that their kids develop healthy eating habits. However, educational institutions and governments also have a responsibility to ensure that whatever food are offered at schools, are nutritional and beneficiary, not harmful, to the kids they are intended for.
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