what are some arguments for and against banning junk food in schools?

Question

please and thank you =)

Answer 1

For banning junk foods:
*the obesity rate in the US for children is the highest in the world
*There has been a decline in recess time/gym classes (in order to get more class time for standardized test prep) which gets students active, so they are not burning calories and they have to limit calorie intake
*Often, students spend more time under the control of school administrators than parents, so the choices that they make are equally or even more so influenced by school policy, so schools are becoming more and more responsible for students' weight

Against banning junk foods: (I'm in high school and these are some of the reasons they've used)
*Kids will start to bring their food from home, but because of the busy lifestyles of their parents, they won't actually make food but bring convenience foods like chips, snack cakes, candy, soda, etc
*The whole "freedom of choice" thing- students should learn to avoid junk food in school while it is right in front of them because they will be faced with junk food options in college and "the real world"
*(this has happened a lot in my school) Students with cars (or have friends who will drive them) leave during lunch and eat out at fast food restaurants... almost every day. There, though the school can't control the student's diet whereas they can limit junk food purchases in school.

Answer 2

Part of the problem is society is more on the go now than it ever has been which causes poor eating habits. Mom's are working and not cooking healthy foods as often as they would like. Kids are parked in front of tvs and video games, not running around outside and burning off calories. Some families can't afford to eat well balanced foods either. People on food stamps tend to buy more carbohydrate foods to make their money stretch farther.
Adding junk food at school causes some kids to only eat junk at school and at home.
If they have at least one meal a day that's nutritional, let it be at school where it is more structured.

Answer 3

The childhood obesity epidemic is becoming a major health crisis in America and children are very tempted to make unhealthy choices when junk food is available at school.

Nevertheless, junk food manufacturers, particularly soda and soft drink companies, will pay school districts a lot of money to sell their products in school, advertise on busses and sponsor sports teams. Schools are dramatically short on money for extras and all students will suffer if the schools can't find an alternate source of income.

Answer 4

As a teacher, I feel that young children should be given healthy snacks while at school and an occasional "treat". Children should be educated about healthy snacks and non healthy snacks. By their teen years, they should be offered a variety and be given a choice. Hopefully, with proper education, they will make appropriate choices. Good choices and modeling should be displayed in the home then extend into the school environment.

Answer 5

obesity is a big problem in children. a very high percentage of our children today are overweight. not only should they ban junkfood, they also need to relly enforce gym and higher the standerds for the excepting excuses for students who want to sit out.

Answer 6

For - it will encourage healthy eating habits
the students will be more fit (yeah right!)
Students will concentrate more because they are getting the proper nutirents

Against - limits choice
Who decides what's healthy or not?
Students will no longer have the right to choose what they eat

Answer 7

http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/cwh/PDFs/news/junk_food_banned_LA_Times_10-29-03.pdf

If school don't start offering more healthy alternatives to kids, the obesity epidemic will get worse and diseases like diabetes and heart disease etc will happen at much younger ages.

Answer 8

It produces over weight kids with poor nutrition.