Introduction

Most children tend to consume half of their meals at school. For many children, food being served at school may present the only chance they have of eating a particular food regularly. Given the number of children participating in the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program, there is a need to enhance favorable nutrition at school. Over the past 30 years, obesity rates in the country have skyrocketed by over 300% (French & Story 2014). Children have been affected more by this aspect. The ones born in the millennium error have a 1-in-3 chance of suffering from type-2 diabetes in their lifetime.  More than 50% of the obese children between 5 and 17 years run the risk of encountering a cardiovascular disease (Madsen et al., 2015). If children obesity issue is not addressed, parents stand to bear the pain and high cost associated with heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis among other obesity-related diseases. Changes made to the national lunch and breakfast program are a step in the appropriate direction towards curtailing this problem.

Thesis Statement

Changes to the national lunch and breakfast program will help improve students’ wellness and reduce costs on the side of parents.

Body

Changes in the program have followed a certain prescribed process. Most of the decisions with regards to change were as a result of recommendations from the Institute of Medicine. The first step involves doing away with the current program. The new program ensures that schools offer smart snacks, sodium and fat intake is reduced, the inclusion of fruits and vegetables and serving of whole grain-rich foods (Robertson, 2015). When it comes to the smart snacks, various resources have been provided to schools to help them identify the foods that meet the criteria. With regards to fruits and vegetables, they will be included even in the breakfast program to ensure that students have the required amount. The body needs Sodium, but people tend to eat more than what the body requires. A high intake risks the emergence of high blood pressure hence the need for schools to choose foods with lower Sodium levels. Whole grains, on the other hand, provide children with minerals, vitamins and fiber. They help students feel full for long periods hence stay alert and reduces the urge of eating now and then (Madsen et al., 2015).

Another process involved with the program is that of ensuring that the appropriate portion has been served to children. The menus are planned for students in grades K-5, 6-8 and 9-12 (Robertson, 2015). This ensures that children are served with the right size portion. School nutrition workers, teachers and parents are expected to work in partnership to ensure that the program prevails. The program also advocates for chefs moving to schools. There is a belief that they will make eating vegetables and fruits seem fun, together with the other prescribed changes. As a result, children will encounter a positive experience while learning how to eat healthy. Establishment of school salad bars has been promulgated through the program too. It will ensure that children have the choice of fresh fruits and vegetables every day.

Changes in the program have several benefits to parents. Initially, parents had their hands tied with regards to their children’s healthy eating habits. Most parents try to teach their children how to eat healthy, but school’s food program acts as a stumbling block. This is putting into consideration that students take almost half of their meals at school. Parents’ efforts can now benefit from this program and can help support their children to continue eating healthy when they are at home. Another benefit likely to accrue to parents is the reduced medical costs. Poor eating habits are usually associated with the high obesity issues affecting the country. Children suffering from obesity are susceptible to various chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis among others. These types of diseases usually require high-end equipment and medical care in order to keep them at bay. This would mean that parents would have to incur high medical bills as a result of children indulging in unhealthy eating habits (Robertson, 2015). Changes in the breakfast and lunch program will see children indulge in healthy nutrition hence avoid aspects of obesity. This would ensure they avoid developing obesity panoramas hence reducing the prospect of encountering these diseases. Parents will save a significant amount of funds that would have been used on the medical bills. Parents are also likely to be spared the pain of seeing their children suffer. On most cases, children suffering from obesity become a laughing stock while in the presence of their colleagues. They are targeted by bullies due to their physical appearance. Such things usually hurt parents since they do not know what to do to help their children from this agony. Another issue is that apart from the costs incurred while treating the diseases culminating as a result of obesity, parents also feel the pain of seeing their children suffer during this period. Others have to come to terms with the fact that their children are likely to pass away. Having a program that would help to reduce pain is quite beneficial to parents.

Conclusion

The food served in school should be healthy in that it contains the necessary dietary requirements. This is because students consume almost half of their food at school. Provision of unhealthy food would likely result to obesity aspects as a result. Changes in the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program will play a significant role in ensuring that students get access to healthy food while at school. This will ensure that their diet includes smart snacks, reduced sodium and fat intake, whole grain-rich foods, fruits and vegetables. Students’ health and wellness will improve as a result. In the long-run, there will be a generation encountering minimal obesity problems. This would mean a reduction of diseases associated with obesity such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke among others. As a result, healthcare costs will be saved and the funds to be used in other developmental projects.

References

French, S. A., & Story, M. (2014). Commentary on nutrition standards in the National School      Lunch and Breakfast Programs. JAMA Pediatrics, 167(1), 8.

Madsen, K. A., Cotterman, C., Crawford, P., Stevelos, J., & Archibald, A. (2015). Effect of the    Healthy Schools Program on prevalence of overweight and obesity in California        schools, 2006–2012. Preventing chronic disease Prev. Chronic Dis., 12.

Robertson, C. (2015). Safety, nutrition and health in early education. Boston: Cengage       Learning.

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