It’s always quite hard to find someone who isn’t on a prescriptive diet, watching their weight, or at least trying to make healthy food choices. While much has been made of the fact that the nation as a whole is fatter than it’s ever been, the good news is that we know a lot more about the effect of certain foods on our bodies and can use that information to make healthier choices and (hopefully) lifelong habits for ourselves and our children.
The August issue of ASBJ focuses on childhood obesity and new research that shows the eating and exercise habits we learn in childhood influence the rest of our lives. The current generation of students is not only the heaviest, it’s the first whose life expectancy is expected to be shorter than their parents.
What’s the role of the school board? While some board members don’t feel it’s their job to police school cafeteria lines and meddle with what parents are feeding their children, there’s a role in teaching students healthy eating and exercise habits—part of the whole child movement–and it starts with healthier fare in the cafeteria. (Keep in mind, too, that these days more children are living in poverty and are relying on school meals as their main food source).
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