By Jeovanne Finch-Negron
East High School's food for the breakfasts and the lunches are not healthy for the students that are eating it. The amount of food that we are given is not enough for us growing teens while giving us food that is filled with carbohydrates that make us carbo-loaded. Through my research I have found that “effects of poor nutrition from school lunches go beyond weight gain. A child who eats too much fat, sugar, sodium, or processed food and too few vitamins and minerals are likely to develop a higher risk over time for several chronic health problems. These might include diabetes, kidney stones, bone loss, cancer, and heart disease.” Furthermore, “Active kids who need more calories than the federal limits are also at risk, and may end up feeling weak, fatigued or nauseous during sports and exercise.” As an athlete, the body needs more food to be able to grow and develop, especially the growth within the brain that we use to learn in classes. The food that we eat and the amount can be the deciding factor of how students thrive academically. The site Lunch MOB states that “Students eating healthy foods are found to be academically brighter. Unhealthy lunches decrease brain power and can also cause memory loss. Poor eating habits can also affect a child’s sleeping patterns, which may influence the student’s behavior and academic performance.” From the piece of evidence taken from Lunch MOB’s article it further proves the overwhelming effect that food can have on the body.
1 Comment
Daniel Hart
3/31/2023 07:05:24 am
I literally just posted on Olivia's article about how school food contributes to and compounds the problem of food deserts in the city, but it looks like you were thinking that same thing! I've been wondering about school food since I first started working at East. It seems like it's one part of a larger solution to ensuring kids get the right kind of nutrition. A huge part of it is systemic - how much money are we willing to spend to get kids fed? I also think it needs to be addressed holistically, as in making nutrition part of our curriculum across contents.
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