by Dr. Sheryl Snyder

Created on: May 24, 2010

Are Schools Responsible for Childhood Obesity?

According to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, 31% of children are at risk of becoming obese.  In addition, 16% of all American children are already overweight.  In response to these studies, a call has been brought to the nation to take measures to address and prevent the problem of childhood obesity.  The media has been inundated with articles and broadcasts blaming school food for the majority of the problem.  Parents call their school district to complain about the food being served – too much pizza, processed chicken, large portions, too much dairy…and the list of complaints grow.  What surveys are finding is that the foods parents are complaining about are the very same foods children are being served at home.  Perhaps the real complaint from parents is that schools are serving the menu that has been planned for supper. 

In reality, studies have proven that children who eat school lunch have better attendance and higher test scores.  Students who eat school lunches consume twice the recommended amounts of fruit; seven times the amount of vegetables and three times the average consumption of dairy products.  The National School Lunch Program provides federal funding for school foodservice programs in efforts to improve their lunches and provide nutrition education to children.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets standards and requirements to govern the dietary programs of schools and provides schools with a significant amount of American-grown foods, such as poultry, fruits, vegetables, beef and pork.  The problem with these donated commodities is that they are often reprocessed into less nutritious foods.  The school districts are then required, financially and politically, to sell these foods to children.  However, according to USDA guidelines, 2/3 of all schools in America exceed federal regulations in nutrition. 

So if school lunches are nutritious, why are America’s children struggling with obesity?  The profile of children who are overweight is disturbing.  Low-income children are at highest risk for both obesity and malnutrition, ironically.  Their mental health suffers, as well.  In a recent interview in the school cafeteria, I spoke to 22 children in grades one through four.  It was alarming how many students said that school lunch was their best meal

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