vending machines are unhealthy

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The popularity of the vending machine has failed students to realize the red flags that pertain to the vending machine. These machines are stocked with junk food and sugary soft drinks every single week allowing a quick access to food; however, what we don’t know is how students and schools view the vending machine. Schools generate extra income from vending machines despite the health concern of students who rely on the vending machines as a daily source of nourishment. This is also because the vending machine selections are often based more on what will make money as opposed to what is healthy. School lunches alone are unhealthy with servings of burgers, pizza, and French fries everyday which can lead to chronic illnesses such as obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart disease at young age. Therefore, to avoid unhealthy snacking, discouragement of healthy eating, and the concerns that come with childhood illnesses, vending machines need to be replaced with healthy options allowing healthy lifestyle and academic concentration. Imagine walking down a hallway with different assortments of vending machines. Ice-cream! Chips! Soda! Candy! It’s all calling your name! Or imagine going to a store such as Wal-Mart and being confronted with aisles and aisles of eye-catching, yet unhealthy, food, what will one do? Seeing the vending machine and the aisles glistening in bright light makes your mouth water doesn’t it? The majority would most likely spend their dollar. Students tend to be introduced to an increased amount of vending machines from elementary school, middle school and throughout high school. Age also plays a role because as students get older the amount of adult supervision decreases, evidently, things that they ... ... middle of paper ... ...ding their business. Schools can also save money collaborating with local farmers or implementing their own gardens. Creating a school garden can also be used to nutritionally educate students and allow them to help each other learn ways to increase their health working on the project. The United States Department of Agriculture provides guidelines on what is healthy and unhealthy in schools. In Oakland Park, Florida a high school offers lunch and snack options including a yogurt parfait, chocolate milk, or a chicken Caesar wrap with veggies (Breen, Cassie). Instead of a traditional vending machine students use their code number to purchase from the machines. Since the meals in the vending meet certain USDA guidelines, schools are able to get financed through the federal government. Many schools using these vending machines also purchase them using money received t

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