Junk Food and Soda banned in Schools (Essay Sample)

Liz Webster
September 11, 2015
Junk Food and Soda banned in Schools
Junk food, is the food that has low nutritional value, and is typically produced in the form of packaged snacks needing no preparation,high in sugar and fats is one of the major causes of childhood obesity in the US and other countries.
From 2014-2015 a "Smart Snacks in Schools" program was introduced into schools in the US as part under a child nutrition law passed in 2010 by the US Congress. (CS Monitor) This program was partof a package of reforms introduced by the US government's effort to combat childhood obesity. Laws banning junk foods and high calorie soda drinks in school cafeterias and school vending machines have resulted in these junk foods being replaced with healthier items containing morewhole grains, low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables and lean proteins.
During the 14 years leading up to the law banning junk food sales in schools, arguments and debate revolved around: the effectiveness of bans in schools in improving childhood obesity, the relationship or lack of any apparent relationship in some studies between obesity and school sales of junk food and soda drinks, the right of government to dictate what children should eat in school,(CS Monitor) the realisation that schools received significant revenues from in-school junk food sales and funded a variety of school program meant that funding formed part of the discussion. And a recognition that a ban could negatively affect children from lower economic areas, who consumed junk foods because of the lower price points of these foods. However continued report of further rises in obesity and its health consequences and events like the film Supersize Me, which publicized weight issues and linked then to junk foods, resulted in a public appetite for reform and change.
While significant public and academicdebate occurred in the lead up to the new Federal laws coming into effect, small indicatives and successes had occurred at a state level. Moves to improve food sold in schools started in 2005 with legislators in California and later in 2006 in Connecticutpassing legislation banning all junk foods from school cafeterias and school vending machines.(CarolineGreenawalt). Former president Bill Clinton’s foundation, worked with beverage companies to limit school drink sales to water, unsweetened juice and low-fat and non-fat milk, flavoured and unflavoured, in elementary and middle schools, with the addition of diet and sports drinks in middle schools.But overall most states did not legislate to ban junk food, resulting in apush for federal government to do something.
While the "Smart snacks in schools"initiatives are a significant move, nobody believes that a ban in junk foods in schools willssolve the childhood obesity problem. It is acknowledged that lack of exercise contributes significantly, along with the ease at which junk foods can be bought and the convenient locations of storesthat sell mostly fat- andsugar-laden foods and the part that advertising plays in selling junk foods to children.
Works Cited:
1 Fox, Maggie. "First Lady Proposes Ban on Junk Food Marketing in Schools" NBC News, Health,Feb 25 2014, 11:47 am ET. Web Sep. 11 2015.
2 /health/kids-health/first-lady-proposes-ban-junk-food-marketing-schools-n38201
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4 Greenawalt, Caroline. "The Fast Food Industry and Teenage Health”The Susquehanna Valley Center for Public Policy,June 16,...