Few kids will buy and apple or an orange if they can have candy or chips instead. No kid NEEDS candy or chips for breakfast or lunch and giving them that choice is irresponsible and bad parenting or education. Unfortunately, in modern society nothing is as simple as that. People want choices and supply follows demand. If dozens of kids prefer candy to yogurt or fruit, someone will supply the candy.
One of the biggest culprits of this modern day phenomenon can be found in the so-called school kiosk. Time is money and many parents prefer to give their kids pocket money or a daily food allowance to buy food at the school instead of packing lunch boxes. That would have been no problem IF they bought fruit, fruit juices and healthy meals or snacks. Unfortunately, the content of most school meal vending machines causes obesity and poor health as it mostly contains unhealthy snacks, sweets and sweetened cool drinks with little or no nutritional value.
Much has been said and written during the past decade about the alarming increase in obesity and other diet-related conditions among young children. There are many contributing factors, such as the electronic era of TV and TV-games and crime that keep kids indoors, but over-eating and indulging in junk food remain the biggest culprit.
The study found that a whopping 75 percent of drinks and 85 percent of snacks sold via these vending machines were of poor nutritional value. Most beverages were flavored sugary drinks such as soda, sports drinks and iced tea, while water formed only 12 percent of the overall beverages on offer.
Entrepreneurs soon saw the gap and privately owned kiosks became a popular alternative to formal, regulated meal programs in more affluent countries and schools. Unfortunately, the profit to be made out of these fast food outlets played a bigger role than the quality or nutritional value of the food sold - with detrimental consequences.
Studies have shown that most school vending machines stock mostly junk food and sugary beverages that have very little or none nutritional value. For some kids, this junk food is the only meals they have for breakfast and lunch - the two most important meals for growing kids. Since owners of these vending machines do not have to comply with dietary regulations, they can pretty much sell whatever food they want.
In a profit-driven society ruled by supply and demand, kiosk owners will provide what sells best. Few kids will choose a healthy meal if they can get a few candy bars or decadent cakes and pies for the same price. Why give young children a choice and abuse their ignorance to make a calculated decision when it is obvious that it is detrimental to their health?
Very few countries - only Finland, Sweden and Estonia - can afford to offer free meals at all their schools. In many countries, similar feeding schemes failed due to poverty, corruption or bad management. It remains the primarily duty and responsibility of parents to ensure that their kids develop healthy eating habits. However, educational institutions and governments also have a responsibility to ensure that whatever food are offered at schools, are nutritional and beneficiary, not harmful, to the kids they are intended for.
One of the biggest culprits of this modern day phenomenon can be found in the so-called school kiosk. Time is money and many parents prefer to give their kids pocket money or a daily food allowance to buy food at the school instead of packing lunch boxes. That would have been no problem IF they bought fruit, fruit juices and healthy meals or snacks. Unfortunately, the content of most school meal vending machines causes obesity and poor health as it mostly contains unhealthy snacks, sweets and sweetened cool drinks with little or no nutritional value.
Much has been said and written during the past decade about the alarming increase in obesity and other diet-related conditions among young children. There are many contributing factors, such as the electronic era of TV and TV-games and crime that keep kids indoors, but over-eating and indulging in junk food remain the biggest culprit.
The study found that a whopping 75 percent of drinks and 85 percent of snacks sold via these vending machines were of poor nutritional value. Most beverages were flavored sugary drinks such as soda, sports drinks and iced tea, while water formed only 12 percent of the overall beverages on offer.
Entrepreneurs soon saw the gap and privately owned kiosks became a popular alternative to formal, regulated meal programs in more affluent countries and schools. Unfortunately, the profit to be made out of these fast food outlets played a bigger role than the quality or nutritional value of the food sold - with detrimental consequences.
Studies have shown that most school vending machines stock mostly junk food and sugary beverages that have very little or none nutritional value. For some kids, this junk food is the only meals they have for breakfast and lunch - the two most important meals for growing kids. Since owners of these vending machines do not have to comply with dietary regulations, they can pretty much sell whatever food they want.
In a profit-driven society ruled by supply and demand, kiosk owners will provide what sells best. Few kids will choose a healthy meal if they can get a few candy bars or decadent cakes and pies for the same price. Why give young children a choice and abuse their ignorance to make a calculated decision when it is obvious that it is detrimental to their health?
Very few countries - only Finland, Sweden and Estonia - can afford to offer free meals at all their schools. In many countries, similar feeding schemes failed due to poverty, corruption or bad management. It remains the primarily duty and responsibility of parents to ensure that their kids develop healthy eating habits. However, educational institutions and governments also have a responsibility to ensure that whatever food are offered at schools, are nutritional and beneficiary, not harmful, to the kids they are intended for.
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