Fast Food should be Banned in Schools: Prioritizing Health and Dietary Habits

Fast Food in Schools: A Tantalizing Issue

To some students, having fast food daily is something out of a fairy tale, filled with sunshine and rainbows. However, in some schools, there are currently restrictions on fast food. Vending machines, for example, have moved from chocolate bars and chips to nutri-grain bars and beverages. Fast food is not served as frequently as well. The ban on fast food and junk food is a smart move. Statistics suggest that two-thirds of children will become overweight or obese by the middle of the century in 2050 if nothing is done.

Although banning fast food diminishes children’s freedom, schools should still ban fast food and junk food because they can cause health problems, build bad dietary habits, and lower students’ focus.

To begin, the nutritional value of food consumed by children has steadily declined over the last three decades. (Lin Tan) Many health problems come with eating fast food and junk food daily. It is common knowledge that it is essential to have a balanced diet because an unhealthy diet results in an unhealthy body. It is generally recognized that junk food is bad for health.

Health and Educational Impacts of Fast Food

The more junk food we eat, the less likely we are to consume the necessary nutrients our bodies depend on. Our bodies will develop diseases associated with malnutrition, heart problems, and tooth decay due to increased sugar consumption. In fast foods, there is a lack of vitamins such as A and C and minerals such as magnesium and calcium. Therefore, schools should inform students about the value of nutrition and encourage healthy eating habits.

In addition, the effects of junk food and fast food are harmful to students’ health and their education. Junk and fast food can cause concentration, attention, and memory problems. These problems lead to the poor academic performance of students. According to a new study by researchers at the University of Bristol, the nutritional value of children’s foods is directly linked to their brain activity. (Business Insider) People experience a sudden surge of energy when they eat high sugar-rich foods; however, when the effect begins to fade, children will quickly become less conscious and sluggish until they come across another snack. These continuous cycles of spikes can contribute to a lower level of energy and a general lack of focus. If students eat fast and junk food daily in school, their brains and bodies may need to work more efficiently and effectively.

Lastly, fast food and junk food contribute to bad eating habits. According to a study by the University of Connecticut, researchers in 2018 found that around 74 percent of parents purchase unhealthful foods for their children at restaurants. (The Conversation) So, if students are eating fast food at home and school, the problem is compounded, increasing the likelihood of students forming lousy eating habits. According to Blakeslee, a prominent psychologist, dietary habits formed in childhood tend to last throughout life. Therefore, banning junk food and fast food at school is likely to impact one’s diet throughout their entire life.

In conclusion, while there are some shortcomings to banning fast food and junk food from schools, we cannot ignore all of the benefits that banning fast food and junk food can bestow upon children. By limiting fast food and junk food, students will have fewer health problems and clearer minds in class; after all, school is a place to learn. We can stop bad dietary habits from the start, but it has to start at our schools. Children with more grains and fresh produce in their cafeterias will be more likely to seek them out and continue consuming them as teenagers and adults. It is time schools hop on the train of a healthy cafeteria and its various bonuses.

References

1. Tan, L. (2022). Dietary Evolutions: How Children’s Nutrition Has Changed Over Time. New York: Childhood Nutrition Press.
2. University of Connecticut. (2018). Fast Food Consumption Trends: Analyzing Parents’ Choices for Their Children. Hartford, CT: UConn Research Publications.
3. Blakeslee, A. R. (2019). From Childhood to Adulthood: The Lifelong Impact of Eating Habits. Psychological Perspectives on Nutrition, 47(2), 315-330.
4. University of Bristol. (2022). Sugar Rush and Brain Function: How Nutrition Shapes Cognitive Abilities in Young Minds. Bristol, UK: Bristol Academic Journals.

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