Childhood Obesity
One of the greatest challenges that have been identified for the United States is the problem of childhood obesity. Childhood obesity is when children experience the reality of being seriously overweight to the point of being extremely unhealthy. For a while, the percentage of children that were becoming clinically obese at a young age was steadily increasing through out the nation. However, there have been programs implemented in primary schools across the US in order to fight the presence of childhood obesity. Some of the measures that are being taken include the implementation of health programs at a younger age, the increase of physical fitness in schools, the decrease of the presence of vending machines, and the integration of a healthier school lunch menu. These are just a handful of some of the procedures taken to help children to become healthier on a regular basis.
While schools cannot control the nutrition and foods that are available to children at home, they can regulate a healthier program for children during the school day. The times of students having access to unhealthy foods from vending machines and in the school cafeteria are long gone. Now most schools are getting rid of their vending machines so that students do not even have the option to purchase unhealthy foods. One of the greatest actions that a school can take to help with the health of students is educating them on the healthy choices that they can make in school and at home. Schools can offer all of the healthy foods that they want; however, if the student is eating improperly at home and on the weekends then the efforts are negated. Therefore, the healthy food options as well as the education are necessary to help fight childhood obesity. Furthermore, the increase of the amount of physical activity that students are allowed to engage in during the day will also help with the battle against obesity in children.
In regards to the education system’s role in helping to battle childhood obesity, there are a number of really important steps being taken. Some of the most impactful actions that schools are taking include the implementation of health programs at a younger age, the increase of physical fitness in schools, the decrease of the presence of vending machines, and the integration of a healthier school lunch menu. With these actions in place, children have a better chance of knowing how to make better choices for their food options in the future.