The health of our youth is so crucial to ALL of us because the young ones are literally our future. Even if you are not a parent, the children around us will one day grow to run our society, and it’s key that they are healthy to be able to reach their full potential.
Sadly, there are some scary statistics for us all to note: according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood obesity has more than tripled over the past three decades. As of 2008, more than a third of all children in the United States were either overweight or obese. Childhood obesity can result in both short-term and long-term health effects including development of type 2 diabetes, bone or joint problems, sleep apnea, and mental/social/emotional issues such as poor self-esteem and stigmatization. Over the long-term, childhood obesity increases the risk of developing diseases such as osteoarthritis, cancer, and heart disease.
The bottom line is if children are not taught how to eat a proper diet and develop a healthy relationship with healthy foods, it can seriously hinder their full potential in many areas of their life.
Many factors have contributed to this disturbing trend in childhood obesity including:
- Extreme amount of processed and fast foods in the diet
- Excessive consumption of sugar and high-fructose corn syrup in processed foods and beverages
- Decreased activity levels and sedentary behaviors
- Medications
- Poor nutrition in school lunches
- Ready availability of sports, energy, juice, and soda drinks
Food and Drink in Schools
I firmly believe it is key that parents keep only healthy drinks at home- as they can control that part of the diet- and if they start early enough, can help prevent their kids from developing the taste for harmful foods. My parents never had soda at home, and I never developed a taste for it, even when it became available.
Of course, parents can only do their best. They don’t have total control, as children spend several hours a day in school, where there are often vending machines and unhealthy options available for school lunches. Since the 1980’s, corporate interests in the schools have increased significantly as school districts seek ways to make up budget shortfalls. Vending machines are a part of this strategy. Likewise, many school districts now outsource school lunches to corporations that can make lunches more cheaply than those prepared in the schools themselves. Unfortunately, this outsourcing has often resulted in a nutritional tradeoff.
In her book and blog, Fed Up with School Lunch, Chicago school speech pathologist Sarah Wu documented a year of school lunches served to kids by her school district. The images she showed the world were of items barely recognizable as food with few fresh fruits and vegetables and lots of chemicals and fillers. Wu’s voice is one of many that calls for healthier fare in school lunches, as well as reduction in the availability of sugary beverages and unhealthy snacks for school children.
A New, Healthier Trend?
Fortunately, some school districts and states are taking note. In 2007, the State of California began to regulate junk food in school cafeterias with policies prohibiting junk food. Five years after this ban, researchers from the CDC compared data relating to California students’ eating habits versus students from 14 other states without such regulations. The study found that the California students ate the fewest calories each day on average, as well as eating lower levels of fat and sugar.
While California is on the leading edge of this trend, other school districts are slowly beginning to take note. One of the way school districts are slowly starting to change is by replacing unhealthy drink options such as sports drinks and soda with better options like bottled water and 100 percent juice. Many schools now ban distribution of any unhealthy beverages. While this change is occurring, however, it’s happening very slowly. According to Medical News Today, access in schools to unhealthy beverages has decreased from 47 percent in 2007 to 33 percent in 2011.
One of my client’s sister told me at her kids school in LA the parents of her son’s sports team banded together to ban all parents from bringing Gatorade and other toxic sports drinks to games and practices. We can stand together!
Why What Kids Drink Makes a Difference
Why drinks? A full 21 percent of all of the sugar in the American diet comes from soft drinks, and Americans consume about 50 billion liters of soda and similar drinks each year (that’s 57 gallons per person!) Studies have shown a significant link between childhood obesity and soda. Along with increasing rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes, soda and sweetened drink consumption is also linked with various types of cancer, and consumption of high-fructose corn syrup has been linked to liver damage and fatty liver disease.
Along with the health risks associated with consumption of sweetened drinks, excess sugar consumption has been linked with difficulty concentrating, increased appetite and cravings, hyperactivity, and many other behavioral issues that could affect your child’s ability to learn in the classroom! Research in 1990 showed that sugar intake increased adrenaline levels in children (but not adults) and stayed 10 times higher than normal for approximately five hours after ingestion.
What to Do for Your Children
 Here are some tips for keeping your kids healthier:
- Set a good example. I put this first, because one of the most important influences on your child’s diet is your diet. You have to be consistent and eat the foods you would like them to eat.
- Pack your child’s lunch with healthy foods including fresh fruits and veggies and fresh water. Keep the junk food out.
- Teach your children about healthy eating and why it is important.
- If your school serves unhealthy foods or has vending machines, get involved and lobby the school for vending machines that serve only healthy beverages.
- If your child does eat school lunches, monitor the foods they eat and talk with them about making healthier choices.
- Don’t serve soft drinks, sports drinks or other sugary beverages at home.
- Instead of juice, offer fresh fruits or green smoothies.
Great article! I would love to get some good ideas for lunches? Is it appropriate to mix almond butter with millet bread? Isn’t the almond butter considered a protein and therefore shouldn’t be mixed with a starch? Some guidance here would be most appreciated. Liz
Kimbely,
Hello! Im in 9th grand and I have been doing your green smoothies, no corn syrup, and gluten free diet. But it’s hard to resist some times when my family sometimes eats food I don’t want to or when I’m aloud to eat more sugar then I personally know I should. What are some good snacks and guidelines to stick to to know if I should eat that or not and how much of it!
Thanks!
Ren:)
first of all how old are you?do you know how much dogs cost?food, vet bills, toys, dog food containers, groinomg supplies, and training your dog. dogs cost at least $200, on top of house payment or rent, food for human, clothing for you and your famnily, car payments, and gas is $4 a gallon. listen to your parents they’re always right . almost wait till your on your own to get a dog cuz when i was young i tried that and it worked for my dad but once we started pricing everything a dog would cost too much.i waited til i was on my own and on my own PAYCHECK to get a dog and now i have 4. my advice is to finish schooll highschool and college than get a job than a dog.
This article is very well written and the voice is very affirmative. A forward thinking topic such as this one deserves such a space on the internet.
My parents set a good example while I was young, and it carried over into my 20’s. My brothers and I packed our lunch everyday, and I brought tea to school as a drink.
I will never forget the smells of the lunch room in high school, the culture that revolved around the lunch hour, and how I always wanted to taste the cafeteria food, but seldom got a chance to do it.
One day I bought a lunch from our cafeteria instead of packing. It was very low quality freezer food that was prepared and stored. I could instantly tell the difference between what mom and dad made me, and this cafeteria lunch, even as a young person.
Since the age of 12 I would read labels and avoid at all costs hydrogenated oils, and high fructose corn syrup. I travelled to europe on many occasions where I observed their culture. The europeans put bans on such ingredients. In my opinion they looked healthier as a public than the americans at home.
Avoid processed foods, fast foods, corn syrup (not just high fructose), hydrogenated oils, and sugar-free foods (aspartame) while consuming goods. Avoid parabens, Sodium laurel sulfates (SLS) and fragrance while applying cosmetics.
Hi Kim !
Quick question :
In order to sneak in my 1/2 cup of probiotic & enyzme salad I’ve been making little sandwiches. I use “Food for Life” Millet Bread, natural salt free stone ground mustard, & raw sauerkraut. Is it ok to eat it like this or am I defeating the purpose of eating raw sauerkraut by mixing it with other food ??
Thanks,
Tayler
they should ban all Vending machines in Schools and Colleges. But as always, the parents set the example first. If they drink Soda and unhealthy beverages ,kids just will copy them.
Great article. I wish I knew more about eating right when I was a kid. Kimberly, I love your book and your recipes bit I have two questions for you. First is it possible if you give out some advice on how to achieve the ggs/hfhs with limited fridge space and can you do an article on eating life style in your book and HPV? If its not asking too much. Im living out of a small college fridge and I want to make a gf’s. Thanks again for a great book!
Hi, Kimberly!! I so much appreciate your informative articles.
I was wondering if you would do a post about teeth health soon? I’ve heard about these people saying vegan/high raw diet is bad for your teeth and it’s quite frustrating. Hope you would clear this up for many people!
Hi Kim,
I love this article as it touches a subject I have been passionate about for years. It’s horrible how the school district health departments are so powerless to what is served to children. And children don’t know any better!
On another note, I do have a question about all the lemon juice we consume on a daily basis- will that increase our chance of enamel erosion?
Namaste!
Karla L
Thank you so much for this info. My son is about to start scool in August & my biggest concern is exactly what you speak about here. I plan on doing just what my mom did when I was in school & that is to pack my son’s lunch every day. I do not want him consuming the very unhealthy foods & drinks that the schools serve our children. I am so glad that I am not alone on this issue. I only hope that I have done a good enough job instilling in my son the healthy choices when it comes to food & drinks. He knows what he is allowed to have & what he is not allowed to have & I just pray that he does not develop the desire to eat what the other kids are having in the school cafeteria. Thank you again for really caring about our future generaton!!
Sincerely, Cindy
this country is NOT free any more… they are telling us what we can and cannot drink and eat now… If fat people want to be fat, let them. I was skinny all my life, quit smoking – great for my health… gained weight – bad for my health.. pick and choose… I’m hosed! But please, no gatorade in my child’s school… as my kid would say, whatever! Doctors recommend it for electrolytes, and especially when you live in the HOT desert. I drink a gal of water plus a day, and sometimes I do drink an occasional gatorade. I keep a low sodium diet too. Still, need that G sometimes. But when the government starts telling us what we can and cannot drink, and NY has gone overboard with this, then we aren’t living free any more. I work, I exercise, I eat right and I am still overweight now, and it is NOT because I drink what is bad for me. It is genetic, it is menopausal, but it is not due to what I do or do not drink. I don’t even drink sodas. Did you know that artificial sweeteners are worse for you than sugar. Sugar is real, but the other stuff is not. The artificial sweetener gives me canka sores – bad for my health… what a hosed up system we now have! Home schooling here we all come… They tell us what to buy, what we have to supply even the school – thought my tax dollars paid for that – oh, yes, I refuse, and now what we can drink – too much garbage!
i must thank you for coming up with this post. nowadays corporate doesn’t even dare to think about the health issues of the public in general. a few days back i came across the infographic study that revealed several interesting facts about soft drinks. http://bit.ly/SodaFizz
most astonishing is that inspite of being aware that soft drinks are largest carriers of calories, they are the most heavily marketed and targeted towards kids and teenagers. the entire industry needs a revamp with a really healthy drink.
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