Nina Grai

The rise of obesity presents several obstacles. Prioritizing strategies that address the problem of childhood obesity could be the start of ending the epidemic. There is no single cause of obesity in the US, and obesity within the US can be attributed to multiple factors such as activity levels, eating habits, and one’s environment. As a result of the rise of obesity cases in the US, there is also a rise in the cost of other things related to obesity.

Obesity related medical spending has risen as the epidemic has grown. This is because, as obesity has risen, the problems that come with obesity have risen as well. Problems that occur as a result of obesity include heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, liver disease, sleep apnea, and even certain cancers. 

With this in mind, we have to ask ourselves if we are doing enough to protect the nation’s children from experiencing the dangers of obesity for themselves. “Roughly one and six youth have obesity according to the newest available data.” Promoting healthy lifestyles amongst children is a crucial part in putting an end to the obesity epidemic. 

Obese kids often grown into obese adults, and it is harder to make a change in obesity and one’s unhealthy lifestyle in later years. It is much easier to educate children and engrain the importance of healthy foods and lifestyles in their minds in their earlier years. The biggest concern amongst children pertaining to obesity and overall health as of late would be school lunches. 

School lunches are the main obstacle when it comes to healthy children and lowering childhood obesity rates. “One major risk of unhealthy school lunches is a contribution to obesity and other weight problems in children across the nation.”. Personally, with my experience with school lunches at Tallwood during my first year or two, I can confirm that the school lunches are certainly not the healthiest. When I would get lunch there would often be hot wings, pizza, and fries. Everyday, Tallwood would serve uncrustables for lunch, which were about six to eight hundred calories for a single one, a fact that shocked me when I found out. 

In an attempt to solve the problem of unhealthy school lunches, I feel the education system should be more involved. One way they could get more involved is by surveying parents and students. If schools want to incorporate healthy eating, they need to ensure that the foods are something students will enjoy; otherwise, the change would be fruitless. 

Another way to lessen the problem of unhealthy school lunches would be to switch up the ingredients. For example, for hotdogs, schools could use lean cuts of turkey, chicken, or beef, that are low in sodium and free of nitrates. For chicken nuggets, schools could use lean cuts of real chicken breast that are grilled or baked (39 ways to improve school lunches). This way, students will still be able to eat foods they enjoy but in a healthier way.

To conclude, childhood obesity is currently on the rise at an alarming rate, and one of the most effective ways of tackling this issue would be to promote healthy eating through school lunches.