Breakfast and Lunch Programs

Public Needs to Know

By

Karen Raglin

ENG 115

Professor Buchanan

February 19, 2012

Breakfast and Lunch Programs

The schools breakfast and lunch programs are changing to keep children healthy. The decision to restructure the school breakfast and lunch programs was the increase of the obesity rate for children. It is noted that between 1963 and 2002 the rate has increased from 5% to 15%. Obesity has been related to children’s health conditions such as diabetes, sleeping disorders and heart disease. Nearly one out of three children has the potential risk for these diseases. If this situation isn’t corrected these children will have a shorter lifespan than adults (School breakfast programs). Studies have shown that a nutritious breakfast and lunch increases school performances. It also indicates that the meals help decrease the obesity, discipline problems and illness (School breakfast programs).

Today’s children are eating too many snacks, drinking to much carbonated beverages and don’t get enough exercise. The restructure of the school lunch programs will provide nutritious meals that includes variety of fruits, vegetables and low-fat milk. A healthy school breakfast and lunch increases children’s concentration to focus on schoolwork. It also gives them plenty of energy for the rest of the day (fuelup). Besides providing nutritious meals some schools have change the choice of items in the vending machines. They have changed the items from chips and candy to granola bars and fruit snacks.

The goal of the government based program called the National School Lunch Program is to protect the health of the nation’s children. This program helps provide nutritious school meal’s everyday. These schools receive federal funding for each breakfast and lunch served. It also enhances children’s learning abilities by contributing to their physical and mental well being. According to the studies performed by the school breakfast program have shown that when the...