SOURCE: Vision Media

November 13, 2007 03:00 ET

Current Healthcare Issue: Who Is to Blame for the Fattening Foods in Our Schools?

Vision Looks at School Meals in a Society & Culture Where Kids Are Rewarded With Sugary Sodas, Candy & Junk Food

PASADENA, CA--(Marketwire - November 13, 2007) - A congress held in Australia in October 2007 gave four international corporations the dubious honor of being awarded Global Bad Products Award, an effort to shame the world's four worst corporate products. It is a current healthcare issue of great concern, since these four companies are certainly not the only ones promoting and selling junk food to children.

Unfortunately, efforts to get ethics and morality at the point of supply have not yet dampened the demand for junk food, or changed the pattern of unhealthy eating, followed by obesity and degenerative diseases. Efforts to turn the problem over to government have also failed to turn the situation around. In America less than four cents of every health care dollar is spent on illness prevention and public health.

In an ideal society and culture, parents would be responsible for how their children eat. Not yet looked at or tackled head-on is the current healthcare issue that very few parents have any real knowledge of nutrition. Furthermore families are so overwhelmed with commitments that they concentrate on the center grocery section rather than the outer edges which usually contain the freshest foods. In fact, in California only 26.9% of the population eats 5 portions of fruit and vegetables in a day while alcohol consumption is at 56.2%.

Nowhere is the problem of unhealthy eating more apparent than it is in our schools.

"Schools often provide less nutritious, sometimes pre-frozen foods that are laden with excess calories, fat, sugar and sodium because they are inexpensive, quick and easy to prepare," say Vision.Org writers Jessica and Alice Abler. "There may be healthier options available, but most children have a hard time turning down the deep-fried reconstituted chicken products and chips after being bombarded by billboards and TV advertising fast foods, soda and candy."

It is far harder to get the ethics and morality of good nutrition addressed when there is no general agreement on eating right. Change can be introduced at the local level and in our schools, where passionate, educated individuals and active church groups still do have the chance to introduce constructive change. Besides introducing good food in the cafeteria they can bring understanding to the parents. Several winning examples are provided by the Vision Media writers: "Fixing School Meals."

The school is an excellent intercept point for administrators and parents to accept the fruit and vegetable challenge and improve current healthcare at least at the local level. Something can be done for the health of our society and culture but only if we provide education, good food and the necessary commitment to establishing good nutrition in the schools.