The Importance Of School Lunches

How unhealthy are school meals? Why do people want healthier school lunches? Many students don’t believe the healthier lunch options are really that much better for you, and because some schools can’t afford the healthier lunch choices, people are beginning to think school lunches are just fine. In fact, most people wouldn’t change a thing about them. Although junk food is quick and cheap, schools should make every effort to increase the amount of healthy foods and to decrease the amount of junk food because healthy foods are more nutritious and energy-rich so you can stay focused in class, many Americans are obese and the rate of obesity is growing, and junk food leads to other physical and emotional problems.

One reason why schools should cut down on junk food and add more healthy alternatives is because healthy foods are more nutritious and are filled with

“Nearly 9 million children in the United States are overweight or obese. And the numbers are rising at alarming rates. The proportion of overweight 12- 19 year-old children has tripled -- from 5 percent in the early '60s to 15 percent in 2000, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The incidence of overweight and obese 6 to 11-year-olds has increased from 4 to 15 percent in the past 40 years,” according to the website, “SFGate.” Also, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points out that, “In the United States, the percentage of children and adolescents affected by obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s. Data from 2015-2016 show that nearly 1 in 5 school age children and young people (6 to 19 years) in the United States has obesity.” This suggests that cutting back on the junk food in school lunches and adding healthier choices can help decrease the amount of obese children in the United