As schools start removing junk food and beverages, we’re finding that kids DON’T go home and binge on junk. Instead, they eat better at school and no worse at home.
This is according to a study just completed by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University. The full story is here.
The food industry had argued that cleaning up school food (a health disaster and a national disgrace in my opinion) and substituting healthier choices would lead to counter-swings by kids deprived of their treats.
The study’s lead author explains that
financial pressure from both the food industry, looking to build brand loyalty, and the schools, which get a cut of the profits from vending machines, is the main reason there is opposition to removing soft drinks and junk foods.
We’re going to be lied to all the way along the path to healthy living.
It sounds cynical but I believe it’s simply the truth, that we can’t trust anyone with our food and drink except people we know, which means local. We also need solid science, and clear research by institutes like Rudd that build a solid reputation by proving their claims with facts.
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There is no doubt that “food education” can have a lifelong impact with children. My children, who went to a Montessori school where sweets were not allowed don’t even THINK about taking sweets in their lunches.
Food can be such a valuable vehicle for teaching, too. Through cooking, cultural awareness, production and growing, shopping, etc. , food can be integrated into many subjects. Just ask any homeschooling Mom how much math, science and ecnomics are taught through the process of obtaining and preparing the family meals.
Keep that blackboard handy Sara, there’s an entire population to retrain