School has started up again for me, and as always, my school's implemented new policies, ranging from student conduct to cell phones. But what really caught my eye was the ban on sugary foods. Apparently, we are not allowed to bring in sugary foods like cookies anymore. Not only that, but my brother's school (and mine at that) have banned bringing in cupcakes and other sweets for birthdays. My thoughts is it is to help combat obesity, although there are claims that it is used to keep students focused. Even if it is not intended to prevent obesity, I know that our school lunches are being warped to prevent obesity, because the portions keep getting smaller.
I don't think they're going the right way about this. Banning sugary foods and lowering portion sizes shouldn't be used to fight obesity. Rather, we should be encouraging kids to get out and exercise more, and to choose healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and all-natural snacks. Unhealthy foods are usually more expensive than healthy foods due to supply and demand, more people want to eat healthy to stay healthy, so all-natural foods become more expensive. By banning those, it's hard for families of low income to feed their kids enough food and stay within the guidelines. And smaller school lunches only leaves the kids hungry throughout the rest of the day, and leaves them unfocused. However, by encouraging kids to eat healthy and exercise more, we can not only sufficiently feed them to keep hunger at bay, but we can create a healthier generation.
But what does NSG think? Should we encourage exercise and healthy foods, or is banning sugary foods and lowering portion sizes the best way?
