Junk Food Should Be Banned In Schools Essay

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French Fries or Die
Those delicious golden hot sizzling medium French fries at McDonalds contain 380 calories, 171 calories from fat, 270 mg of sodium and plenty of salt. There is no doubt that junk foods, like fries, commonly served in school cafeterias are unhealthy. There has been a significant rise in child obesity, and food is a major contribution. Over 9 million children in the US are obese, and come with life threatening health problems. Schools need to focus on producing not only smart kids, but healthy ones as well. Kids rely on their schools to provide them with a nutritional meal, but often times are given unhealthy meals that lead to the obesity epidemic. Therefore, junk food should be banned in schools.
There is no avoiding junk food advertisements because it shows up on social media, TVs, radios, vending machines, billboards, logos, etc. Companies spend on average $148 million a year on advertising in schools in commercials, equipment, vending machines, and rewards programs. Many schools use this advantage of allowing this advertisement by getting new equipment and money. Kids are also bribed by using junk food for good attendance, grades, and behavior. There are also many food incentive programs by fast food chains such as Pizza Hut Book It!, Mini McDonalds, and Grade A Donut: Honoring Homework Stars. The government has started becoming more involved in schools and their lunch programs. First lady Michelle Obama has had a huge influence in foods that children consume and fast food advertisment. She states, "Our classrooms should be healthy places where kids are not bombarded with ads for junk food". She has asked for $10 billion to improve school lunches, but there has been many budget cuts which make this diffic...

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...y foods by learning how to make good choices. It also plays a role in independence as children get older and more mature in what foods they eat and how ti effects them. Removing junk food from cafeterias just remove the option. Obesity can also be combated by lack of physical education and health classes students are required to take. Classes life these could emphasize more on nutrition so students know more about making healthy choices in their foods.
Future generations of children all rely on the choices made today about junk food in schools. If these unhealthy foods remain in school systems, then the obesity epidemic will rise even more, leading to more health problems to more of the population. Schools play a major role in student development, and will forever impact a child. So now it is time to decide whether to get rid of those golden French fries or die.

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