Reply #240: Childhood obsesity is problematic with children from low-income families

[LynneSin]

For a parent who might be working several jobs just to make ends meet, it's easier for them to buy meals that can be put on the table in minutes then to take the time to prepare a healthy meal. And schools that can barely make their budget will cut deals with manufacturers of processed foods that might help the school add a bit to the budget but requires them to put vending machines & product placement of junk food and sugary drinks easily accessible to the children. You might as well let the schools cut a deal with Phillip Morris to put cigarette machines in the school. Overloading these kids with junk only hurts them.

I think it was in the movie "Supersize Me" where the director visited a school that was geared towards problematic children. The school decided to pull all overly-processed foods, high-sugar content products and cook highly nutrition foods for lunchtime. They found that the children were not as out-of-control and actually were able to better pay attention in school all day. Grades went up.

$4.5b will hopefully allow these schools to cut ties with corporations that want to poison our kids with processed foods and allow schools to not only make more healthy options for the children but allow more children to receive these foods at a much reduced cost (or even free).