unhealthy food at school essay

Junk Food in Schools: Good or Bad for Children? Essay

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Introduction

The arguments for junk food at schools, the arguments against junk food at schools, the rebuttal of the advantages of junk food, the rebuttal of disadvantages of junk food.

Junk food has become very popular nowadays especially among children. Children really like junk food and as a result junk food are provided at school. Is it good or bad for children? There are advantages as well as disadvantages of junk food in schools.

There are three main advantages of junk food in schools namely quick preparation, change in routine and benefits for children’s health (Borkar, 2011). One of the main advantages of junk food is that it is simple to cook and it satiates hunger. If any child forgets his/her lunch bag at home it is very convenient to have junk food for lunch at school (Maire, n.d.). More than that, it is delicious and liked by children. It is the food that is easy to eat even on the go. As a result, junk food saves a lot of time and it is very convenient at schools where the breaks are not so long to have a rigorous lunch (Jenkins, 2005).

The second advantage is the change in routine. Children are accustomed to the food prepared at home and junk food at school may add the variety to their routine menu (Antwerp, n.d.). It does not have serious effects on the health if it is varied with the food prepared at home.

The third advantage is that it is healthy. Of course, there are cases when junk food is prepared with unhealthy ingredients and oil but there is also healthy junk food that may be eaten by children. If such junk food as potato chips or juice are available at school’s children will be protected from unhealthy food proposed outside the boundaries of the school ( Pros & Cons of Fast Foods in School, n.d.).

As for the disadvantages of junk food at schools, they are obesity, the influence over the students’ performance and other health issues (Richards, n.d.). It is a well-known fact that junk food contains a lot of salt, pepper and other unhealthy ingredients. All these ingredients are harmful as far as it is complicated for a young organism to break down them and these ingredients accumulate in the body (Rosenthal, n.d.). More than that, they prevent the absorption of other valuable nutrients and as a result affect the immune system. These harmful ingredients lead to obesity among children that is the burning issue nowadays (Ankerberg-Nobis, n.d.). This kind of food does not contain all the nutrients necessary for children and as a result it causes a lot of problems with their health (A Comparison of Nutritious Food and Junk Food , 2009). These health issues include heart problems such as hormonal imbalance, high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, and problems with liver, kidneys and stomach.

The content of junk food including carbs, sodium and sugar is very unhealthy for children and it affects their performance at school (Bodeeb, 2011). It takes a lot of energy to digest junk food. As a result, after such snack the child begins to fade and become sluggish. The person feels weakness and the necessity to have a snack again. It is not an addiction, but it is the dependence on the boosts of energy that fade so quickly. There is no wonder that students are not ready to study after such a full snack that influences their attention and concentration.

If we consider the advantages of junk food that have been described before we may conclude that they seem to be doubtful. As for the main advantage of availability of junk food and its simplicity to be cooked it is not an advantage if we speak about the health of our children. Time does not play any role if junk food influences children’s health (Bose, 2012). As for hunger satisfaction with junk food it is a poor semblance as far as it is a sort of energy boost as it has been described in the list of disadvantages. As for the variety of the children’s menu it is possible to add this diversity with the help of healthy domestic food. These arguments supporting junk food are so weak comparing to its disadvantages.

Nevertheless, the disadvantages that have been presented above also may be doubted. Of course, children’s health depends on the food they eat but the main reason of heart problems and obesity is the lack of activities. It will be more reasonable to take care of this problem rather that to criticize junk food. Children should go in for sport as far as they have a lot of energy that is necessary to be burnt out. As for the content of junk food, there is no wonder that any kind of food contains salt, sugar and carbs and it does not depend whether it is junk food or not. Any kind of food may contain ingredients that influence human body in a negative way (Chen, 2009). First of all, its influence depends on the state of health, the way of life and susceptibilities to different diseases. The third disadvantage also sounds weakly as far as it is a well-known fact that after eating a human body needs a rest and there is no wonder that children are not ready to study after having had a snack.

From the above said we may conclude that there are advantages and disadvantages and it is up to everybody to decide whether their children eat junk food or not. Junk food has become a debatable question nowadays and the list of its advantages and disadvantages is endless.

A Comparison of Nutritious Food and Junk Food (2009). Web.

Ankerberg-Nobis, T. (n.d.). Fast Food in Schools Fuels the Obesity Epidemic . Web.

Antwerp, V. (n.d.). The Pros of Junk Food Sales in Schools . Web.

Bodeeb, J. (2011). The Growing Problem of Junk Food in Schools . Web.

Borkar, R. (2011). Junk Food in Schools – Pros and Cons . Web.

Bose, D. (2012). Advantages and Disadvantages of Fast Food.

Chen, G. (2009). Why Fast Food is “Healthier” Than School Lunches: The Shocking USDA Truth . Web.

Jenkins, R. (2005). Junk Food Ban . Web.

Maire, L. (n.d.). Pros & Cons of Fast Foods . Web.

Pros & Cons of Fast Foods in School . (n.d.). Web.

Richards, R. (n.d.). Fast Food in Schools . Web.

Rosenthal, J. (n.d.) Back to School, Back to Junk Food? Web.

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Why School Lunches in America Are Unhealthy and 10 Ways You Can Take Action to Improve Them

We all have a stake in making school lunches healthier. Learn what you can do…

Debates about school lunch have been going on for more than a century. Learn why school lunches in America have a terrible reputation and how you can help make a difference.

School lunch matters — for better learning and academic performance, for improved behavior and performance at school, for the overall health of kids, and much more.

In fact, school meals can have tremendous impacts on the next generation, the future of a country, and maybe even the future of our world .

The State of School Lunches In America

In the U.S., school lunches have a terrible reputation.

A 2009 investigation by USA Today found that meat served in U.S. schools wouldn’t meet the quality or safety standards of fast-food restaurants. And according to the book Lunch Lessons , almost half the vegetables eaten by most children aged 2 to 19 in the U.S. were French fries.

Although America’s school lunches have improved since Congress strengthened the standards for the national school lunch program in 2010, they have a long way to go.

Most menus now include more whole grains and more fruit and vegetable options and less salt. But they also offer an abundance of factory-farmed animal products and heavily processed foods, like corn dogs, tater tots, and cheese pizza.

But School Lunches Can Improve

Programs exist to help improve food at schools, and some schools are taking bold, inspiring steps. Parents, educators, students, and everyone can take action to help students have access to healthier foods.

As Ocean Robbins says in his upcoming book 31-Day Food Revolution , “ As long as tens of millions of families depend on school meals for a fundamental part of daily nutrition, we all have a stake in making them healthier. ”

As long as tens of millions of families depend on school meals for a fundamental part of daily nutrition, we all have a stake in making them healthier. Ocean Robbins

Why Are School Lunches in America Unhealthy?

Many countries around the world serve school lunch for students. In America, midday meals have been a fixture in education for more than 70 years.

A variety of factors contribute to the school lunches in the U.S. today. Here are some of them:

The National School Lunch Program provides low-cost or free school lunches to 31 million students at more than 100,000 public and private schools per day. Meals must meet nutritional standards based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Participating schools receive approximately $1.30 to spend for each child. This amount must cover the food, as well as any labor, equipment, electricity, and other costs. School food programs also depend on income from students who often pay for the food they eat.

Tight budgets make serving healthier foods challenging .

The USDA Foods Program

The United States Department of Agriculture purchases hundreds of millions of dollars worth of agricultural products and gives them to schools for free. (The government does this to stabilize food prices and to ensure demand for the country’s agricultural goods.)

Free food may sound good, especially when funding is so limited. But in 2015 , 64% of the program’s spending went to meat , dairy , and egg products . Virtually all these products came from factory farms.

The School Milk Program

Why does almost every school lunch include milk? Because milk in schools has been federally subsidized since 1940 .

In the 2013-14 school year, more than $20 million taxpayer dollars were spent directly by the USDA on dairy product subsidies that went into child nutrition programs, including school lunch.

Even though most schools now ban sodas and other sugary beverages, chocolate milk still gets a pass . A single serving of chocolate milk contains between four and six teaspoons of sugar.

And there are many reasons why all this milk might not be the healthiest option for our kids.

Unhealthy School Vendors

Some schools have given contracts to food management companies to manage the food offered to students. In these cases, the companies have the purchasing power — not the schools.

The contracting most often goes to one of three main corporations: Aramark, Compass Group, and Sodexo. These companies are in business to make money, and it seems that children’s health isn’t always their top priority.

Why the Quality of School Lunches Matters for Students

Children consume up to 50% of their daily calories at school. And for low-income children, lunch may be the only real meal of the day.

Here are seven reasons to feed kids healthy, well-balanced meals:

1) Better Learning and Memory

As studies show, children who are hungry or undernourished are unable to focus and have a hard time learning .

According to a 2008 study published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience , diets with high levels of saturated fats may impair learning and memory . Many foods commonly served during school lunch, such as French fries, cheeseburgers, and chicken nuggets, are loaded with saturated fat.

When kids get adequate nutrition, they are sick fewer days and don’t need to miss school, which can lead to improved performance.

A 2011 study published in the Journal of Health Economics showed that when Greenwich switched from low-budget processed meals towards healthier options, educational outcomes improved and authorized absences fell by 14% .

2) Improved Concentration

Deficiencies in vitamins and minerals are shown to diminish cognitive abilities and mental concentration . Many school lunches are low in the fruits, vegetables, and whole foods that provide an abundance of vitamins and minerals.

3) Better Overall Health

A 2008 study published in the Journal of School Health found that effective school nutrition programs “have the potential to improve student’s diet quality, academic performance, and, over the long term, their health .”

4) Better Behavior and Fewer Problems

A series of studies in the 1980s removed chemical additives and processed food, and reduced levels of sugar, in the diets of more than 8,000 juvenile delinquents in 12 correctional facilities.

What was the result? Problem behaviors fell 47% .

Similarly, in Virginia, 300 particularly hardened juvenile delinquents were put on a diet with no chemical additives and little sugar for two years. During that time, incidences of theft fell 77%, insubordination dropped 55%, and hyperactivity went down by 65% .

Also, in 2008, a comprehensive analysis from the Harvard School of Public Health concluded that students with access to nutritious meals had lower rates of aggression and disciplinary problems .

5) Better Academic Performance

According to a study conducted at the University of California at Berkeley, students who eat healthier school lunches achieve higher standardized test scores .

And a 2008 study published in the Journal of School Health found an association between higher quality diets and better performance on exams .

6) Reducing Obesity

Obesity rates among children nearly tripled from 1970 to 2000. And according to a 2017 projection published in The New England Journal of Medicine , most 2-year-olds in America today will develop obesity by the time they turn 35 . But could school lunches help reduce obesity?

A 2013 study published in JAMA Pediatrics showed that children residing in states with stringent nutritional standards for school meals had lower rates of obesity than those states with more lax regulations.

And a 2018 nationwide study conducted in Japan and published in the Journal of Public Health concluded that “Appropriate nutritional intake through school lunch may be effective to reduce childhood obesity.” (Japan has a relatively low childhood obesity rate and one of the world’s most successful nationwide school lunch programs.)

7) Better Habits for the Future

Researchers say that the eating patterns kids develop early in life typically follow them into adulthood.

A group of Canadian researchers said: “ If children are to learn to prefer and select healthy foods, they need early, positive, repeated experiences with those foods. ”

Federal Changes to Make American School Lunches Healthier

In 2010, Congress adopted the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act — the first significant change to school meal nutrition in more than 15 years .

If children are to learn to prefer and select healthy foods, they need early, positive, repeated experiences with those foods.

The standards went into effect in 2012, with schools that met the new criteria receiving additional funding. And federal funding for school lunches increased — by about six cents per meal — for the first time in more than three decades.

Schools are now required to:

• Offer fruit daily at breakfast and lunch
• Offer vegetables daily at lunch
• Increase the amount of whole grains
• Require students to select either a fruit or vegetable with each meal
• Reduce the sodium content of meals
• Only offer fat-free or low-fat milk varieties
• Create grade-specific limits on total calories
• Remove trans fats

Researchers who examined 1.7 million meals in an urban Washington State school district found that the overall nutritional quality of meals increased by 29% after the standards took effect .

Problems Faced by School Lunch Programs

But despite these improvements, many nutritional experts still find school lunches to be inadequate. Most meals aren’t prepared from scratch and don’t use fresh fruits and vegetables . Instead, foods are frozen or made elsewhere and then heated before serving. This food preparation creates meals that are far from fresh and, sadly, unappealing.

And the new federal administration is scaling back the updated school meal nutrition requirements, which could lead to less nutritious foods in many schools.

10 Ways You Can Help Improve School Food

Even though it can feel daunting to get involved, simple steps can have meaningful impacts on improving food in schools .

You may want to start by educating yourself about your school’s food-service program by checking the district’s or school’s website.

And here are some ideas for taking action to improve school meals:

Show your support for healthy school lunches in your community .

You can set up a meeting with your local school district’s Food Service Director (or your school superintendent) to find out what changes are already in progress and to see how you can help.

Be an advocate for healthier food in your school district .

The Chef Ann Foundation has a parent advocacy toolkit . Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has a healthy school lunch campaign . They offer resources for schools, parents, and schools.

Start a farm-to-school program .

You can find some suggestions from Kids Health here .

Get a school garden in a school .

You can find helpful guides and resources from The Lunch Box here .

Start Meatless Mondays in a school.

Foodservice workers can use this guide from Meatless Monday. Students, parents, and staff can use this ambassador guide from Meatless Monday.

Advocate for more plant-based options .

You can try encouraging a school to offer one plant-based entree per day by sharing recipes and testing them with staff. Amie Hamlin, the executive director of the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food, which offers 13 plant-based, kid-approved recipes , suggests this idea to make an impact

Help increase nutrition education in a school .

You can help implement the Coalition for Healthy School Food’s Wellness Wakeup Call , which provides schools and classrooms with daily, healthy eating tips that can be read in classrooms and over PA systems. This program is free for schools in New York, but out-of-state schools can use it for a small fee.

Advocate for lunchtimes that are long enough for students to get to eat.

You can advocate for lunches that are at least 30 minutes long and for scheduling recess before lunch. Research backs up these changes for getting kids to eat more fruits and veggies. The Peaceful Playgrounds Foundation has resources to help lengthen lunches.

Contact elected officials.

You can support legislation and funding that promote healthier school lunches. Contact your elected officials and let them know why healthy school lunches matter. Call to schedule a meeting with your member of Congress to speak out for federal change, with local school board members, or with a school board superintendent to take action locally. You can sign up for action alerts from the School Nutrition Associate Action Network to stay informed and engaged about school nutrition policy issues.

Students can take action, too .

The School Nutrition Association has 10 tips for students who want to make a difference in the school cafeteria.

What If School Lunches Around the World Encouraged Healthy Eating Behaviors?

Children’s bodies and brains are still developing — and the habits and attitudes they’ll carry with them throughout life are being formed.

Healthy, balanced school lunches could lead to better health and better academic performance for students. They could lead to reduced aggression, hyperactivity, and other problems. And they could help break the cycles that trap low-income children in poor health.

Healthy school lunches could also help reverse childhood obesity trends, which lead to type 2 diabetes and other chronic illness. And they could contribute to a healthier and more productive future for the next generation.

As former President Harry S. Truman said when signing the National School Lunch Act: “ No nation is any healthier than its children or more prosperous than its farmers. ”

Tell us in the comments:

What are your experiences with school lunch, how will you take action.

Featured Image: iStock.com/SDI Productions

10 revolutionary ways school lunch is improving (plus, healthy school lunch ideas) 

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Essay on Junk Food: Samples in 150, 250 Words

• Updated on  
• Oct 5, 2023

Food is the main source of energy. It is important to consume healthy food. Any food product that contains a high percentage of saturated fats or trans fats is referred to as Junk food. The term junk itself indicates that it is harmful to our health. To lead a healthy lifestyle it is important to avoid the overconsumption of junk food. However, junk food has gained popularity because we consume it on a regular basis. Here we have provided an essay on junk food for children and school-going students. It will provide a general overview of how to draft an essay on junk food. Continue reading!

Also Read: Essay on Health

Also Read: Importance of Education

Essay on Junk Food in 150 Words

Junk food has become a prevalent component of the modern diet. It is not only attracting the young generation but is also getting induced in their daily diet. Habitual consumption of junk food causes serious health issues because it is high in calorie content. Processed food with high content of saturated and trans fats, or high sugar content comes under this category.

Street food places and the majority of food chains and restaurants are serving food in high quantities, thereby reducing the consumption of healthier options. People are now prioritizing taste and neglecting the culinary diversity of traditional food.

Another aspect of the over-consumption of junk food is ordering food on a daily basis due to a busy schedule. Besides that, munching on snacks to satisfy hunger is another bad habit that leads to health issues. Such food products lack nutritional components such as dietary fibres, protein, vitamins, iron, etc. 

To conclude, health is an important part of life so, it is important to take care of healthy food habits and avoid the excess consumption of unhealthy or junk food.

Also Read: Tips for cooking while studying abroad

Also Read: Nutrition Courses

Essay on Junk Food in 250 Words

Junk food refers to the unhealthy food. Consumption of junk food such as pizzas, burgers, fried items, pastries, etc. has alarming consequences. Its effect is witnessed as the global obesity epidemic because the masses are more inclined towards eating junk food.

Impact of Consuming Junk Food

Food high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats contributes to weight gain. It will ultimately cause obesity. Obesity is the key source of other diseases that are difficult to cure. Some of the chronic diseases that occur due to the consumption of junk food are high risk of heart failure, GIT disorders, hypertension, diabetes, etc. So, it is crucial to eliminate or reduce the consumption of unhealthy food and replace it with nutritional food. 

Affordability

Another factor that contributes a lot in favour of a high intake of junk food is its affordability. Junk food is more accessible as it is available on the streets at a cheaper price. The price factor affects people who cannot afford healthier options. Thus, people tend to consume junk food that is comparatively more affordable and accessible.

Taste over Nutritional Value

Nowadays, people are more inclined towards enjoying the taste of food. It’s obvious that crispy and spicy food will attract you more as compared to salads and pulses i.e. much healthier options with high nutritional values. Consuming junk food on a regular basis has become common for many, and this has led to homogeneity in their diets. So, it’s important to choose the healthy option over a tastier option to minimize the negative health impact due to junk food.

In conclusion, having junk food occasionally is acceptable when you visit any party or celebrate any occasion. However, its regular consumption will disturb your dietary habits and also hamper your health for the long term.

Also Read: Taking Care of Mental Health while Studying Abroad

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Junk food is processed and refined food products high in calories due to the high percentage of saturated and trans fats. Most restaurants generally serve junk food as they know that such food is popular among the young generation. However, it is not nutritious and also causes serious health issues such as obesity, diabetes, etc.

Following are 10 lines on junk food: Junk food does not possess nutritional value; It causes serious health illness; Junk food is mainly fried food products or packaged foods that have high-calorie content; It lacks dietary fibres; Heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, all such health issues are caused by junk food; Talking in terms of accessibility and affordability, then, such food items are cheaper as compared to healthier options; Excess availability of junk food in the market at cheaper rates is leading to a loss of culinary diversity; Over-consumption of junk food leads to anxiety, depression, and upset stomach; Junk food products are also high in sugar content causing harmful health effects, and Fast food chains and junk food brands are prevalent worldwide, homogenizing diets.

The 10 harmful effects of junk food are listed below; Cardiovascular disease; Obesity; Fatty liver; Hypertension; Diabetes; High cholesterol; Kidney damage; Weight gain; Addictive eating patterns, and Dental problems.

For more information on such interesting topics, visit our essay writing page and follow Leverage Edu .

Kajal Thareja

Hi, I am Kajal, a pharmacy graduate, currently pursuing management and is an experienced content writer. I have 2-years of writing experience in Ed-tech (digital marketing) company. I am passionate towards writing blogs and am on the path of discovering true potential professionally in the field of content marketing. I am engaged in writing creative content for students which is simple yet creative and engaging and leaves an impact on the reader's mind.

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How the quality of school lunch affects students’ academic performance

Subscribe to the brown center on education policy newsletter, michael l. anderson , mla michael l. anderson associate professor of agricultural and resource economics - university of california, berkeley justin gallagher , and jg justin gallagher assistant professor of economics - case western reserve university elizabeth ramirez ritchie err elizabeth ramirez ritchie ph.d. graduate student - university of california-berkeley, department of agricultural and resource economics.

May 3, 2017

In 2010, President Barack Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. The main goal of the law was to raise the minimum nutritional standards for public school lunches served as part of the National School Lunch Program. The policy discussion surrounding the new law centered on the underlying health reasons for offering more nutritious school lunches, in particular, concern over the number of children who are overweight. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that one in five children in the United States is obese.

Surprisingly, the debate over the new law involved very little discussion as to whether providing a more nutritious school lunch could improve student learning. A lengthy medical literature examines the link between diet and cognitive development, and diet and cognitive function. The medical literature focuses on the biological and chemical mechanisms regarding how specific nutrients and compounds are thought to affect physical development (e.g., sight), cognition (e.g., concentration, memory), and behavior (e.g., hyperactivity). Nevertheless, what is lacking in the medical literature is direct evidence on how nutrition impacts educational achievement.

We attempt to fill this gap in a new study that measures the effect of offering healthier public school lunches on end of year academic test scores for public school students in California. The study period covers five academic years (2008-2009 to 2012-2013) and includes all public schools in the state that report test scores (about 9,700 schools, mostly elementary and middle schools). Rather than focus on changes in national nutrition standards, we instead focus on school-specific differences in lunch quality over time. Specifically, we take advantage of the fact that schools can choose to contract with private companies of varying nutritional quality to prepare the school lunches. About 12 percent of California public schools contract with a private lunch company during our study period. School employees completely prepare the meals in-house for 88 percent of the schools.

To determine the quality of different private companies, nutritionists at the Nutrition Policy Institute analyzed the school lunch menus offered by each company. The nutritional quality of the menus was scored using the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). The HEI is a continuous score ranging from zero to 100 that uses a well-established food component analysis to determine how well food offerings (or diets) match the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The HEI is the Department of Agriculture’s preferred measure of diet quality, and the agency uses it to “examine relationships between diet and health-related outcomes, and to assess the quality of food assistance packages, menus, and the US food supply.” The average HEI score for the U.S. population is 63.8, while the median HEI score in our study is 59.9. In other words, the typical private company providing public school lunch in CA is a bit less healthy than the average American diet.

We measure the relationship between having a lunch prepared by a standard (below median HEI) or healthy (above median HEI) company relative to in-house preparation by school staff. Our model estimates the effect of lunch quality on student achievement using year-to-year changes between in-house preparation of school meals and outside vendors of varying menu quality, within a given school . We control for grade, school, and year factors, as well as specific student and school characteristics including race, English learner, low family income, school budget, and student-to-teacher ratios.

We find that in years when a school contracts with a healthy lunch company, students at the school score better on end-of-year academic tests. On average, student test scores are 0.03 to 0.04 standard deviations higher (about 4 percentile points). Not only that, the test score increases are about 40 percent larger for students who qualify for reduced-price or free school lunches. These students are also the ones who are most likely to eat the school lunches.

Moreover, we find no evidence that contracting with a private company to provide healthier meals changes the number of school lunches sold. This is important for two reasons. First, it reinforces our conclusion that the test score improvements we measure are being driven by differences in food quality, and not food quantity. A number of recent studies have shown that providing (potentially) hungry kids with greater access to food through the National School Lunch Program can lead to improved test scores. We are among the very few studies to focus on quality, rather than food quantity (i.e., calories). Second, some critics of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act worried that by raising the nutritional standards of school lunches that fewer children would eat the food, thereby unintentionally harming the students that the law was designed to help. Our results provide some reassurance that this is not likely to be the case.

Finally, we also examine whether healthier school lunches lead to a reduction in the number of overweight students. We follow previous literature and use whether a student’s body composition (i.e. body fat) is measured to be outside the healthy zone on the Presidential Fitness Test . We find no evidence that having a healthier school lunch reduces the number of overweight students. There are a few possible interpretations of this finding, including that a longer time period may be necessary to observe improvements in health, the measure of overweight is too imprecise, or that students are eating the same amount of calories due to National School Lunch Program calorie meal targets.

Education researchers have emphasized the need and opportunity for cost-effective education policies . While the test score improvements are modest in size, providing healthier school lunches is potentially a very cost-effective way for a school to improve student learning. Using actual meal contract bid information we estimate that it costs approximately an additional $80 per student per year to contract with one of the healthy school lunch providers relative to preparing the meals completely in-house.

While this may seem expensive at first, compare the cost-effectiveness of our estimated test score changes with other policies. A common benchmark is the Tennessee Star experiment , which found a large reduction in the class size of grades K-3 by one-third correlated with a 0.22 standard deviation test score increase. This reduction cost over $2,000 when the study was published in 1999, and would be even more today. It is (rightfully) expensive to hire more teachers, but scaling this benefit-cost ratio to achieve a bump in student learning gains equal to our estimates, we find class-size increases would be at least five times more expensive than healthier lunches.

Thus, increasing the nutritional quality of school meals appears to be a promising, cost-effective way to improve student learning. The value of providing healthier public school lunches is true even without accounting for the potential short- and long-term health benefits, such as a reduction in childhood obesity and the development of healthier lifelong eating habits. Our results cast doubt on the wisdom of the recently announced proposal by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to roll back some of the school lunch health requirements implemented as part of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.

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Essay on Junk Food

Students are often asked to write an essay on Junk Food in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Junk Food

The allure of junk food.

Junk food is popular for its taste, convenience, and affordability. It’s everywhere – in school cafeterias, at the cinema, and on our home tables.

The Downside of Junk Food

Despite its appeal, junk food can harm our health. It’s often high in sugars, fats, and salts, which can lead to obesity and heart diseases.

Healthy Alternatives

Instead of reaching for junk food, we should opt for healthier choices like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These foods are not only tasty but also good for our health.

While junk food might be tempting, we must remember the importance of a balanced diet for our well-being.

250 Words Essay on Junk Food

Introduction.

Junk food, a term popularized in the latter half of the 20th century, refers to food that is high in calories but low in nutritional value. It is a pervasive element in modern societies, often associated with convenience, taste, and immediate gratification.

The appeal of junk food is multifaceted. It is typically easy to prepare, inexpensive, and designed to satisfy our innate preference for fat, sugar, and salt. Moreover, it’s often marketed with persuasive advertising strategies, making it an omnipresent temptation.

Nutritional Downfall

Despite its allure, junk food’s low nutritional value poses serious health risks. Its high sugar content can lead to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. High sodium levels can contribute to hypertension, and a dearth of essential nutrients can trigger a range of deficiencies.

Societal Impact

The ubiquity of junk food has significant societal implications. Its consumption is linked to a rise in chronic diseases, escalating healthcare costs, and decreased productivity. Moreover, it’s often more accessible in low-income communities, contributing to health disparities.

While junk food offers convenience and immediate satisfaction, its long-term effects on individual health and society are detrimental. It is crucial to promote healthier alternatives, regulate advertising, and improve nutritional education to mitigate these impacts. The challenge is not just a personal one, but a collective one that requires concerted effort and policy intervention.

500 Words Essay on Junk Food

Junk food’s popularity stems primarily from its convenience and addictive taste. Fast-paced modern lifestyles often leave little time for cooking or preparing nutritious meals. Junk food, easily accessible and ready-to-eat, fills this gap. Additionally, the high sugar, salt, and fat content in these foods stimulate the brain’s pleasure centers, creating a sense of satisfaction that encourages repeated consumption.

Nutritional Deficiencies

Despite their high calorie content, junk foods lack essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Regular consumption of such foods can lead to nutritional deficiencies. For instance, a diet rich in junk food but devoid of fruits and vegetables can result in Vitamin C and fiber deficiencies, leading to health issues like scurvy and constipation respectively.

Health Implications

The role of marketing, addressing the issue.

Addressing the junk food epidemic requires a multi-faceted approach. Education about the harmful effects of junk food and the benefits of a balanced diet is crucial. Schools and colleges should promote healthier food choices in their cafeterias. Governments can play a role by implementing policies such as taxing junk food, restricting their advertising, and mandating clear nutritional labeling. Individuals also have a responsibility to make conscious choices about their diet and lifestyle.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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The impact of primary school nutrition policy on the school food environment: a systematic review

Lily grigsby-duffy.

School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia Global Obesity Centre (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Melbourne, VIC 3220, Australia

Ruby Brooks

Tara boelsen-robinson, miranda r blake.

School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Alfred Hospital, Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia

Kathryn Backholer

Claire palermo.

Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Monash University, Level 1, 264 Ferntree Gully Road, Notting Hill, VIC 3168, Australia

Anna Peeters

Associated data.

School nutrition policies that aim to address unhealthy diets have been introduced in many countries. This systematic review aimed to synthesize the international literature to determine the impact (overall and by socioeconomic position [SEP]) of primary school nutrition policies on the availability of foods and beverages in schools. Seven databases were searched using keywords and medical subject headings related to nutrition policies and schools. Studies that reported on the impact of implemented school nutrition policies on food and beverage availability within primary schools were included. Eighteen studies (reported across 20 papers) were included. Fifteen of the included studies reported some positive impacts of policies, including increased availability of healthier foods and decreased availability of less healthy foods. Five studies focused specifically on schools in low-income communities and a further three specifically compared schools by SEP, with mixed findings. Two studies reported on factors influencing policy implementation, reporting a lack of financial resources as a barrier to schools offering a wider selection of healthy foods and additional school resources as increasing the likelihood of offering healthy foods. School nutrition policies appear to be effective at improving the healthiness of foods and beverages available at schools. Furthermore, the results suggest that well-implemented school nutrition policies that improve the healthiness of foods available are unlikely to exacerbate the socioeconomic gradient of poor nutrition. However, the number of studies that reported results by SEP limits drawing strong conclusions regarding equity impacts and we strongly recommend further studies analyze their findings according to SEP.

INTRODUCTION

Globally, school-age children are under-consuming healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables and over-consuming unhealthy snacks ( UNICEF, 2019 ). Over 18% of children (aged 5–19 years) were reported to be living with overweight or obese in 2016 ( World Health Organization, 2020 ). Dietary habits in childhood predicts lifetime habits ( UNICEF, 2019 ) making this an important time for establishing healthy habits. School food environments are promoted as a key setting for interventions to improve diet quality ( World Health Organization, 1998 , 2021 ). The school food environment refers to the availability, affordability, and promotion, of foods and beverages, served or sold inside and around the school premises, including, but not limited to, canteens, tuck shops and vending machines ( Food and Agriculture Organization, 2019 ). This review focuses on one aspect of the school food environment: availability.

The World Health Organization has recommended the adoption of school nutrition policies that restrict the availability of less healthy foods and beverages (hereafter foods and beverages referred to as ‘food/s’) ( World Health Organization, 2004 , 2021 ). School nutrition policies can be voluntary or mandatory and vary in scope, from introducing nutrition education to the school curriculum to restricting unhealthy foods in vending machines. School nutrition policies tend to be government-directed while implementation responsibility usually sits internally within the school ( World Cancer Research Fund International, 2022 ). School nutrition policies addressing the food environment have previously demonstrated increases in fruit and vegetable consumption and reductions in sugar-sweetened beverages, unhealthy snacks, fat, saturated fat and sodium intake ( Micha et al. , 2018 ). Such policies have been adopted in many locations, at varying levels of governance, and with varying requirements for compliance ( Storcksdieck Genannt Bonsmann, 2014 ; World Cancer Research Fund International, 2022 ). However, unless these policies are adopted and lead to changes in food availability, they will have limited ability to influence social norms around healthy eating and diet quality. Evaluating the impact policies have on the foods available within schools is important to better understand their implementation and feasibility as a strategy to improve children’s diet quality.

The impact of school nutrition policies on the school food environment has been partially explored in two systematic reviews. Both reviews found policies were generally associated with increased availability of healthier foods and/or decreased availability of less healthy foods ( Jaime and Lock, 2009 ; Chriqui et al. , 2014 ). The first review ( Jaime and Lock, 2009 ) only included studies in which policies had been adopted for the purposes of research trials; findings therefore may not reflect ‘real world’ policy implementation. Furthermore, the first review was published in 2009—many additional policy evaluations have since been published. The second review ( Chriqui et al. , 2014 ), published in 2014, included only implemented policies but was limited to schools in the United States of America (USA) where the education system and school food services differ from that of other countries.

Neither of the previous reviews reported on the differential policy impact by school-level indicators of socioeconomic position (SEP). In high-income countries (including Australia, the United States of America and multiple countries across Europe), diet quality is generally lower, and the prevalence of diet-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer is higher, among those with lower SEP ( Backholer et al. , 2016 ; Stringhini et al. , 2017 ; Chung et al. , 2018 ; Fismen et al. , 2021 ). Whilst in low- and middle-income countries, high SEP is associated with some healthier dietary patterns (e.g. higher consumption of fruits and vegetables) ( Mayén et al., 2014 ), and a lower risk of many non-communicable diseases (e.g. cardiovascular diseases) ( Sommer et al. , 2015 ), but also associated with unhealthy dietary patterns (e.g. higher intakes of calories, fat and processed foods) ( Mayén et al., 2014 ; Allen et al. , 2017 ). School nutrition policies that restrict the availability of unhealthy foods have been proposed as an equitable obesity prevention intervention, given their reduced reliance on individual-level behaviour change ( Backholer et al. , 2014 ). Understanding potential differences in policy implementation by SEP is therefore important for assessing equity of policy impact. Finally, neither of the previous reviews reported barriers or enablers to policy implementation; knowledge of these factors would aid understanding of the feasibility of such policies and contribute to planning the effective implementation of such policies.

The aim of this review was to synthesize the international literature on the impact of implemented primary school nutrition policies on the healthiness of foods available in schools. A secondary objective was to report on the impact of the included policies on the availability of food in school in relation to SEP.

This review was conducted in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).

Search strategy

Keyword and subject heading searches related to nutrition policy and schools were conducted in seven databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL Plus, ERIC, Informit Health Collection and Informit A+ Education) on 30 March 2015 and updated on 9 June 2021. No limits were placed on country or publication date. Searches were limited to the English language. An example of the search strategy is provided in Appendix A .

Eligibility criteria

The setting was limited to primary schools. Studies that reported only combined results for primary and secondary schools were excluded. A school nutrition policy was defined as a formally adopted policy that provides a guide for food- and nutrition-related activities within a school. As the review objectives concerned factors influencing policy implementation, only policies that had been implemented were included. Studies that measured the difference in the proportion or absolute amounts of food available as an outcome were included. Study designs eligible for inclusion were pre-and-post studies (including repeat cross-sectional studies), with or without a comparison group, and post-only studies that compared food availability in schools with the policy to schools without it.

Selection of studies for inclusion

The screening and data extraction was carried out by several of the authors (L.G-D., R.B., T.B-R., M.B. and C.P.). All the authors were public health researchers. At each stage of the screening and extraction, each study retrieved from the search was allocated two authors to review it. Titles and abstracts were screened for relevance by two authors. For papers deemed potentially relevant, the full text article was assessed against the eligibility criteria ( Table 1 ) by two authors; full texts meeting all criteria were included in the review. Where multiple articles reported on the same study, we used the article with more comprehensive and up-to-date data.

Eligibility criteria for studies for inclusion in this systematic review

Data extraction

Data were extracted from eligible articles independently by two authors, with discrepancies discussed and resolved among four authors. Data extracted included: author/s, year of publication, aim, study design, year/s of data collection, study location, response rate and sample size, policy description (policy aim, an overview of policy content and the date of introduction or expected implementation), policy level (the highest level of governance at which the policy had been adopted, e.g. school, district, state/provincial, national) and requirements for policy compliance (mandatory or voluntary), data collection method, statistical analysis methods, results related to review objectives (e.g. changes to the availability of foods, overall and by an indicator of SEP), and reported barriers or enablers to policy implementation.

Quality assessment

The risk of bias in individual studies was assessed using a modified version of the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies ( Effective Public Health Practice Project, 2010 ). Studies were assessed against criteria related to selection bias, study design, confounders, data collection methods, and withdrawals and drop-outs, and given a rating of ‘strong’, ‘moderate’ or ‘weak’ for each criterion. As studies were observations of ‘real world’ policies, blinding would not be possible and was therefore excluded from the quality assessments. The modified version of the tool has previously been used for this reason ( Beauchamp et al. , 2014 ; Boelsen-Robinson et al. , 2015 ).

Data synthesis

Due to the heterogeneity of policies and type of outcome between studies, the findings were synthesized narratively. Results were synthesized into three sections relevant to the aims of the study: the impact of school nutrition policies on the availability of food and beverages in school, the impact in relation to SEP and the barriers and enablers to the implementation of policies. Summaries of the characteristics of the included studies are presented in a table and include information on the author, study design, participants (number of schools and country), policy (policy level, requirement for compliance, policy description and date introduced), and outcomes (results, the impact of policy in relation to SEP, reported barriers and enablers).

Characteristics of the included studies

A total of 7178 records were identified through database searching. After removing duplicate references and screening titles and abstracts, 214 records were deemed relevant for full-text review. Twenty articles (reporting on eighteen studies) met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were included for data extraction and synthesis ( Figure 1 ). Most studies were based in the USA ( n = 14), with the remaining studies conducted in the United Kingdom (UK; n = 1), Sweden ( n = 1), Brazil ( n = 1) and Mexico ( n = 1) ( Table 2 ). Combined, the studies included over six thousand primary schools. Fourteen studies used a pre-and-post study design whilst four used a post-only study design ( Table 2 ). There was variability between studies, however, the majority of studies collected post-policy measurements within one to two years after policy implementation ( Table 2 ). Based on the modified Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies, twelve studies were rated as weak quality and six as moderate quality ( Table 2 ; Appendix B ), suggesting the risk of bias in the included studies to be moderate to high.

Characteristics and results of studies included in this systematic review

Socioeconomic position.

Odds ratio.

Confidence intervals.

Source: Nelson et al. (2006) .

Sugar-sweetened beverages.

Selection process for studies included in this systematic review.

The types of policies vary. Broadly, they included policies that intended to limit the availability of various unhealthy foods, beverages and/or nutrients in schools ( n = 7), increase the offerings of fruits and vegetables ( n = 2), reduce the availability of unhealthy foods and increase the availability of healthy foods ( n = 2), or incorporate nutritional recommendations or best practice guidelines into school food outlets ( n = 5). Two studies rated the strength (strong, weak, none) of policies. The strength of a policy was based on factors such as the comprehensiveness of the policy and the specificity of its language ( Table 2 ).

Impact of school nutrition policies on the availability of food and beverages in school

Of the 18 studies, 13 reported some positive impacts on food availability and no negative impacts ( Table 2 ). Three studies reported an increase in the availability of healthy foods (e.g. salad bars) ( Ohri-Vachaspati et al., 2012 , 2016 ; Patterson et al. , 2015 ), five reported a reduction in unhealthy foods available ( Kubik et al. , 2010 ; Long et al. , 2010 ; Samuels et al. , 2010 ; Chriqui et al. , 2013 ; Cluss et al. , 2014 ), and five of the studies found both an increase in healthy foods and decrease in unhealthy foods available in schools ( Phillips et al. , 2010 ; Haroun et al. , 2011 ; Pearce et al. , 2013 ; Taber et al. , 2015 ; Soares et al. , 2017 ; Behrens et al. , 2018 ). Unhealthy food definitions ranged from specific nutrients (e.g. saturated fats, sugar, and sodium) to food categories (e.g. sugar-sweetened beverages). The change in availability occurred in cafeterias, school stores and/or vending machines.

Two studies (assessments of district-level Local Wellness Policies in Colorado and New York State, USA) reported no changes in food availability ( Belansky et al., 2010 , 2013 ; Boehm et al. , 2020 ).

In two studies, policies resulted in a mix of positive and negative outcomes. After the introduction of district-level policies in Los Angeles County, California, USA there were significant decreases in the energy, protein, fibre, total fat, saturated fat, sugar and sodium content of breakfasts, and significant increases in the protein and sodium content, a significant decrease in fibre content and no significant changes in the energy, total fat, saturated fat or sugar contents of lunches ( Cummings et al. , 2014 ). In central Texas, the USA, updates to the nutrition standards of The National School Lunch Program resulted in a significant decrease in nutrient density (mean % of daily values/100g) of French fries and energy density (kcal/100 g) of starchy vegetables, and significant increases in the energy density of dark green and non-starchy vegetables. However, there was a decrease in the nutrient density of red/orange vegetables, beans and peas ( Ishdorj et al., 2016 ).

One study reported only negative impacts on the healthiness of food availability. Jimenez-Aguilar et al. ( Jimenez-Aguilar et al. , 2017 ) assessed compliance with The general guidelines for dispensing or distribution of foods and beverages at school food establishments in Mexico over two academic years. They found poor compliance and a significant increase in the availability of less healthy foods and a decrease in healthier options over time. The authors suggest this may be attributable to the lack of consequences for non-compliance.

Impact of school nutrition policies on the availability of foods and beverages in school according to an indicator of socioeconomic position

Of the eighteen studies, eight reported the impact of policies on food availability by SEP. Five of these were based exclusively in schools classified as low SEP ( Samuels et al. , 2010 ; Belansky et al. , 2013 ; Cluss et al. , 2014 ; Behrens et al. , 2018 ; Boehm et al. , 2020 ) with three out of the five reporting positive impacts on food availability and two reporting no impact.

Three of the studies compared the findings by SEP. One cross-sectional study compared the availability of sugar-sweetened beverages sold in schools when their sale was banned by state law in low-, mid- and high-SEP schools (indicated by the percentage of students eligible for reduced-price or free lunch) ( Chriqui et al. , 2013 ). Sugar-sweetened beverages were sold in 25% of low-SEP schools with a state policy banning their sale compared with 10% of mid-SEP schools and 5% of high-SEP schools. Soda was sold in 3% of low-SEP schools with a state policy banning their sale compared with 2% of mid-SEP schools and 1% of high-SEP schools. However, due to the cross-sectional nature of the study design, it is not possible to ascertain the degree to which sales changed over time between the different SEPs.

Another study classified districts into SEP tertiles (high, middle and low need districts) based on a composite district-level variable (District Reference Group) ( Long et al. , 2010 ). Overall, there was a significant reduction in the number of unhealthy à la carte snack categories offered in school districts that chose to adopt the policy compared with elementary schools in school districts that did not. However, there were no significant effects of SEP on policy adoption or change in the availability of unhealthy à la carte snacks.

One study assessed the association between the strength of state competitive food (foods and beverages sold in a school outside of the school meal programs) laws in 40 states in America and the foods available for sale in schools (as a measure of the healthiness of the school food environment, beverages environment and overall) at two-time points (2004 and 2007) ( Taber et al. , 2015 ). Schools were classified as high-, medium- or low-SEP, based on the median household income of the student’s postcode. There was an association between states with strong competitive food laws and healthy school food environments in 2007, regardless of SEP. Some SEP differences were observed in 2007, with high-SEP schools rated as healthier food and beverage environments overall relative to low-SEP schools, regardless of state laws. This difference was due to the disparity in healthy (as opposed to unhealthy) items available. Conversely, competitive beverage laws were more strongly associated with healthier beverage environments in low-SEP compared to medium-or high-SEP schools.

Barriers and enablers to the implementation of policies

Two studies reported barriers or enablers to policy implementation. In the evaluation of district-level Local Wellness Policies in Colorado, USA, in which no changes to school food availability were identified, food service managers reported a lack of financial resources as a barrier to offering a wider selection of healthy foods ( Belansky et al. , 2010 ). Another study assessed the percentage of schools offering a salad bar before and after updates were made to the National School Lunch Program ( Ohri-Vachaspati et al. , 2016 ). The authors used multivariable logistic regressions to analyze school-level resources (resources included the availability of a dietitian/nutritionist on staff, a full-service kitchen, school garden and nutrition education provided to students) and programs (programs included the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Team Nutrition Program and Farm to School Program) associated with the presence of a salad bar. The study identified several significant predictors, including participation in the programs and having school lunch provided by a food service management company. For every additional resource/program, the odds of having a salad bar increased by 21%.

The results from this review demonstrate that implemented school nutrition policies were mostly associated with greater availability of healthier foods and/or lower availability of less healthy foods. Furthermore, the findings from this review indicate that school nutrition policies are likely to be an equitable obesity prevention intervention.

The finding that school nutrition policies are generally associated with positive impacts on the availability of foods in schools confirms the findings of two previous systematic reviews, although the policy definitions and eligibility criteria differ. Jaime and Lock’s review of school nutrition policies in primary and secondary schools across the world included four studies reporting on food availability as an outcome, with the studies predominantly focusing on the availability of fruits and vegetables offered at school lunch. All four reported increased fruit and vegetable availability after the policy introduction ( Jaime and Lock, 2009 ). These policies were, however, adopted for the purposes of research trials, which may have artificially increased the degree of policy implementation—our review adds to this evidence that ‘real world’ implemented school nutrition policies are effective. In addition, our review indicates that policies may increase the availability of a range of healthy foods and reduce the availability of unhealthy foods (e.g. desserts and unhealthy snacks). Chriqui et al. reviewed school nutrition policies adopted in the USA and found that policies were associated with changes to food availability in the expected healthy direction in five of seven studies reporting on this outcome (the remaining two produced mixed results) ( Chriqui et al. , 2014 ). Our review confirms Chriqui’s findings and adds to these by showing similar findings in other high-income countries.

Further to the two previous reviews, our review also aimed to understand the potential equity impacts of school nutrition policies on the availability of foods in primary schools. The results of this review suggest that school nutrition policies are likely to have a positive impact on more disadvantaged schools, with three of five studies reporting positive impacts in schools classified as low-SEP and a further three studies reporting no difference in impact between schools classified as higher or lower SEP. These results support the hypothesis that well-implemented school nutrition policies that restrict the sale of less healthy foods are unlikely to exacerbate the socioeconomic gradient of poor nutrition ( Backholer et al. , 2014 ). In our review, two studies set in low-income communities reported no significant association of policies on foods available in school ( Belansky et al. , 2013 ; Boehm et al. , 2020 ). The schools in the study by Belansky et al. ( Belansky et al. , 2013 ) were located in rural areas, which may have posed specific implementation challenges. For example, other studies have reported that rural schools have difficulty accessing healthier foods because of their rural location ( Downs et al. , 2012 ). Overall, the number of studies that reported results by SEP limits drawing strong conclusions in relation to equity impacts. Greater reporting of disaggregated results by SEP and rurality/remoteness is needed to determine whether there are differences in the implementation of school nutrition policies and, if so, to understand factors that may contribute to this.

Two studies in this review reported on the barriers or enablers to the implementation of the studied school nutrition policies. Additional resources and programs were found to increase the likelihood of a school having a salad bar ( Ohri-Vachaspati et al. , 2016 ) and lack of financial resources was reported as a barrier to purchasing a wider selection of healthy foods ( Belansky et al. , 2010 ). Financial barriers (e.g. higher costs of purchasing healthier foods and reduced profit and revenue from selling healthier options) were also identified as key deterrents to school nutrition policy implementation and compliance in a recent systematic review of barriers and enablers to implementing healthy food policies in schools ( Ronto et al. , 2020 ). Other barriers reported in that review included difficulty accessing foods that comply with policies, and easy access to unhealthy food outlets surrounding schools, while enablers included adequate funding, and clear, well-communicated policies ( Ronto et al. , 2020 ). Further to this, a recent systematic review on the business outcomes of healthy food service initiatives found that favourable business outcomes were achieved in certain school settings (canteens/cafeterias/tuckshops) but not in others (vending machines), suggesting financial support from governments could enable policy implementation and compliance ( Thorpe et al. , 2021 ).

Given the finding that implemented school nutrition policies generally have a positive impact on the availability of healthy foods in primary schools, an important follow-up to this review is to evaluate the impact of school nutrition policies on diet quality and anthropometric measures. It has been suggested students may compensate for restricted foods by purchasing other less healthy items which are still available or by bringing such items from home ( Hawkes et al. , 2015 ). A study of a school nutrition policy adopted in a school district in Texas, USA found that the mean daily consumption of candy and snack chips did not change after policy introduction, with students compensating for banning these items in snack bars by purchasing them from vending machines, where they were not banned ( Cullen et al. , 2006 ). The type of policy which is implemented (e.g. partial or full restriction of less healthy items) and whether the policy is supported by other strategies are likely to be important factors in the impact that policies have on consumption outcomes ( Hawkes et al. , 2015 ). While previous reviews of school nutrition policies ( Jaime and Lock, 2009 ; Chriqui et al. , 2014 ; Micha et al. , 2018 ) included consumption and adiposity outcomes, these reviews covered a limited population, included policies adopted for the purposes of trials, or did not identify barriers and enablers. More studies in this area are warranted to determine the impact of real-world school nutrition policies on consumption and adiposity outcomes, the characteristics of policies that are most effective and whether there are differences in impact by SEP.

Strengths and limitations

Our review was conducted in line with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA), which aims to improve the reporting of systematic reviews. Screening of potentially relevant full text articles, data extraction and quality assessment were all conducted by at least two authors. The inclusion of only school nutrition policies that have been implemented by policymakers and practitioners, rather than researchers, increases external validity and the synthesis of potential equity impacts is novel.

Due to restricting peer-reviewed literature there may be additional policies implemented of relevance in the grey literature. Future research could work towards robust evaluations of these policies. The majority of included studies were assessed as weak quality, with a major contributor to this being study design. The majority of pre-and-post studies in this review did not employ a comparison group. In the one pre-and-post study that included a comparison group, positive changes to the foods available in school were found in the comparison group, although not to the extent found in the group that adopted a policy ( Long et al. , 2010 ). This demonstrates that wider social and cultural changes need to be considered when interpreting the results of the other included pre-and-post studies. While multiple pre-and-post studies were classified as repeat cross-sectional studies, in some of these studies, a substantial proportion of the schools participating at both time points were the same. The remaining studies included in this systematic review employed a post-only (i.e. cross-sectional) study design, which limits the extent to which the differences in school food environment can be attributed to the presence of a school nutrition policy. A second major contributor to the weak quality of included studies was data collection; many studies used school staff-completed surveys that had not been shown to be valid or reliable and may have been susceptible to social desirability bias. The quality of the evidence included in this review indicates that, where possible, future school nutrition policy evaluations should include a comparison group so that the extent of change to the school food environment that is due to policies, and the extent that is explained by wider social and cultural changes, can be determined. The use of objective or validated measures of food availability would further improve the quality of evaluations.

The studies identified in this review were predominantly based in the USA ( n = 14) and in either high-income ( n = 16) or upper middle-income countries ( n = 2), potentially limiting the generalizability of the findings given education systems and school food services differ between countries.

Implications

School nutrition policies are generally associated with greater availability of healthier items and/or lower availability of less healthy items, which demonstrates the feasibility of sustained and effective policy implementation. Given the growing global burden of disease attributable to poor dietary habits and the opportunity schools provide to influence dietary habits for all children, school nutrition policies represent a feasible and promising mechanism for improving diet quality. However, the barriers reported in this review and the wider literature highlight that there are many factors that contribute to how successfully policies are implemented. To ensure optimal implementation of school nutrition policies, consideration of these factors during policy development is needed.

Our review has found that primary school nutrition policies are generally associated with greater availability of healthier foods and/or lesser availability of less healthy foods. Based on the limited number of studies reporting results by SEP, these policies also appear to be effective for schools classified as higher and lower SEP. Combined with the broader literature, school nutrition policies offer a feasible and promising intervention to improve diet quality. Further research that reviews the impact of policies on consumption and anthropometric outcomes is needed and should include an analysis of the impact of SEP.

Supplementary Material

Daac084_suppl_supplementary_appendix_a, daac084_suppl_supplementary_appendix_b, contributor information.

Lily Grigsby-Duffy, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia Global Obesity Centre (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Melbourne, VIC 3220, Australia.

Ruby Brooks, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia Global Obesity Centre (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Melbourne, VIC 3220, Australia.

Tara Boelsen-Robinson, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia Global Obesity Centre (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Melbourne, VIC 3220, Australia.

Miranda R Blake, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia Global Obesity Centre (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Melbourne, VIC 3220, Australia. School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Alfred Hospital, Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.

Kathryn Backholer, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia Global Obesity Centre (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Melbourne, VIC 3220, Australia.

Claire Palermo, Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Monash University, Level 1, 264 Ferntree Gully Road, Notting Hill, VIC 3168, Australia.

Anna Peeters, School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia Global Obesity Centre (GLOBE), Institute for Health Transformation, Melbourne, VIC 3220, Australia. School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Alfred Hospital, Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia.

KB is supported by Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowships (102047); LGD is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council scholarship (APP1117300); AP received a National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Grant. TBR, MB, KB and AP are involved in a National Health and Medical Research Council Centre for Research Excellence grant (APP1152968) and an NHMRC investigator grant (APP1176885). The opinions, analysis, and conclusions in this paper are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the NHMRC. TBR is supported by a Deakin University Executive Dean Health Research Fellowship. MB is supported by a Deakin University Institute for Health Transformation fellowship.

ETHICAL APPROVAL

This study reviews pre-existing, anonymous data and therefore ethical approval was not required.

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Harmful Effects of Junk Food Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on harmful effects of junk food.

Junk Food is very harmful that is slowly eating away the health of the present generation. The term itself denotes how dangerous it is for our bodies. Most importantly, it tastes so good that people consume it on a daily basis. However, not much awareness is spread about the harmful effects of junk food.

The problem is more serious than you think. Various studies show that junk food impacts our health negatively. They contain higher levels of calories, fats, and sugar. On the contrary, they have very low amounts of healthy nutrients and lack dietary fibers. Parents must discourage their children from consuming junk food because of the ill effects it has on one’s health.

Impact of Junk Food

Junk food is the easiest way to gain unhealthy weight. The amount of fats and sugar in the food makes you gain weight rapidly. However, this is not a healthy weight. It is more of fats and cholesterol which will have a harmful impact on your health. Junk food is also one of the main reasons for the increase in obesity nowadays.

This food only looks and tastes good, other than that, it has no positive points. The amount of calorie your body requires to stay fit is not fulfilled by this food. For instance, foods like French fries, burgers, candy, and cookies, all have high amounts of sugar and fats. Therefore, this can result in long-term illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure . This may also result in kidney failure .

Above all, you can get various nutritional deficiencies when you don’t consume the essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals and more. You become prone to cardiovascular diseases due to the consumption of bad cholesterol and fat plus sodium. In other words, all this interferes with the functioning of your heart.

Furthermore, junk food contains a higher level of carbohydrates. It will instantly spike your blood sugar levels. This will result in lethargy, inactiveness, and sleepiness. A person reflex becomes dull overtime and they lead an inactive life. To make things worse, junk food also clogs your arteries and increases the risk of a heart attack. Therefore, it must be avoided at the first instance to save your life from becoming ruined.

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Ways to Avoid Junk Food

The main problem with junk food is that people don’t realize its ill effects now. When the time comes, it is too late. Most importantly, the issue is that it does not impact you instantly. It works on your overtime; you will face the consequences sooner or later. Thus, it is better to stop now.

You can avoid junk food by encouraging your children from an early age to eat green vegetables. Their taste buds must be developed as such that they find healthy food tasty. Moreover, try to mix things up. Do not serve the same green vegetable daily in the same style. Incorporate different types of healthy food in their diet following different recipes. This will help them to try foods at home rather than being attracted to junk food.

In short, do not deprive them completely of it as that will not help. Children will find one way or the other to have it. Make sure you give them junk food in limited quantities and at healthy periods of time.

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Junk Food Should Be Banned

Many children in America eat large amounts of junk food, and this can cause health problems. In fact, junk food is even sold in the vending machines of many schools. This debate is about the good and bad points for how junk food should be banned. Whether you believe junk food is unhealthy, or you think it’s good, please add to this debate.

All the Yes points:

Junk food is unhealthy, junk food can cause obesity, unhealthy food may be bad for brain function, junk food can increase the risk of diabetes, banning junk food in schools could decrease the frequency of heart disease, junk food can have negative affects on bone health, habits are often formed during childhood and it’s important to ensure that kids eat a healthy diet in school, bans on junk food have been successful, some regions have already put warning labels on junk foods, fast food chains have even made efforts to make their foods less “junky”, all the no points:, yes because….

Junk food is highly unhealthy and can transform fit, healthy human beings into obese, lazy people. Is this what we want Earth to become for the future generations? I should think not. Eating too much junk food can cause your life to be shortened, and this is terrible. This is why I believe that junk food should be banned.

No because…

Junk food isn’t that bad. Healthy food can be just as bad sometimes. And when people try to change it, it just doesn’t work. For instance, my school’s canteen had a food change to make the food healthier. One day they cooked “healthy” fish and chips, and the people who spent $5 on it, got no chips and a tiny half-frozen piece of fish. This could happen to any other canteen, and I strongly advise against it happening, as it will turn out not to work.

The rate of obesity in the United States has risen dramatically. According to the CDC , more than one third of the population is considered obese. The rate of obesity is similar among children to the rate of obesity in the general population. Many more people are not obese but overweight. According to USAToday , around two thirds of the population is overweight. According to ScienceDaily, even moderate obesity can substantially shorten life expectancy. Over consumption of junk foods is a major contributing factor in the obesity epidemic. Many junk foods are extremely high in calories, and it’s easy for a person to exceed the recommended number of calories when they eat junk foods. Banning junk food in schools would reduce the amount of junk food that kids eat. Furthermore, some schools have already taken this step.

If junk foods are banned, kids will still eat junk food while in school. Instead of getting it from the school vending machines, they’ll sneak it in. This could create a climate of evasiveness among students. In some cases, students may even sneak out of school to buy junk food. Additionally, junk food is still likely to be freely available at home. Therefore, it’s possible that kids would simply binge on junk foods when they aren’t in school. This could cause their overall consumption of junk food to remain unchanged. Furthermore, banning junk food could increase the sense of boredom among students. This could potentially result in decreased academic performance. Another drawback to banning junk foods in schools is that it could be more difficult to prepare meals for students. By contrast, many junk foods can be prepared quickly. Furthermore, healthier food tends to be more expensive. The increased expense could result in an increase in school taxes. It also could result in an increase in the cost of school lunches.

According to WebMD , eating too much junk food could result in decreases in brain function. According to Consumer Health Digest , there are several types of food that are bad for brain health. The additives and preservatives in junk food can have impairing effects on cognition. Foods with a high level of salt also have been shown to reduce cognitive performance. Studies have also shown that fatty foods impair cognition. In addition, foods that contain residual amounts of pesticides might cause negative effects on brain health. Many healthy foods contain chemicals that are necessary for optimal brain function, such as Omega-3s. According to the University of Maryland , Omega-3s are extremely important. A deficiency of Omega-3s has been linked to a number of common mental health disorders, such as depression and ADHD. It’s even thought that a deficiency of Omega-3s could make one more prone to develop severe mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Banning junk food in schools could encourage students to eat more healthy food. This could reduce the prevalence of mental health problems among students. It also could improve the school performance of students.

Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common, and over consumption of junk food can increase one’s risk of developing it. There are two reasons why Type 2 diabetes can be caused by eating too much junk food. Many junk foods contain a high volume of sugar. If high volumes of sugar are consumed over a long period of time, the body can stop producing enough insulin. This can lead to Type 2 diabetes. In addition, Type 2 diabetes can be induced by becoming overweight or obese. In fact, many people who have Type 2 diabetes are able to cure the condition by losing weight. Serious health complications can result from Type 2 diabetes. In fact, Type 2 diabetes can even result in serious circulation problems that can result in amputation. In fact, diabetes is considered to be one of the primary causes of death in the United States. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases , Type 2 diabetes can develop during one’s childhood under some circumstances. Banning junk foods in schools could result in a decreased rate of obesity, and fewer kids would over consume sugar. These habits may stick with kids for life, and this could further reduce the frequency of Type 2 diabetes.

Heart disease is a common cause of death in the United States, and it has been known to develop in children younger than age 18, according to WebMD . Poor diet is a major contributing factor to the development of heart disease. Therefore, an improved diet from a junk food ban in school could help to reduce one’s risk of developing heart disease. The reduction in obesity rates that could result from banning junk food in schools could have a particularly significant effect in terms of reducing the frequency of heart disease.

It’s unknown how much kids’ consumption of junk food would be reduced by banning junk foods in schools. If the ban didn’t reduce the amount of junk food that kids eat, the rate of heart disease would likely remain unchanged.

During childhood, bones are developing. Growing children need a significant quantity of calcium each day for bone development. Without enough calcium, serious defects in bone development can occur. A poor diet can increase one’s risk of developing osteoporosis, according to UPI . In addition to the lack of calcium in junk food, many junk foods contain high levels of sugar and fat. This can weaken bones. If junk foods are consumed in schools, this may cause kids to continue to eat a poor diet as adults. It’s thought that the first six years of life are crucial in ensuring that a proper diet for bone health is maintained throughout one’s life.

Banning junk food is likely to have an impact on one’s diet throughout their entire life. Prominent psychologists feel that healthy habits are formed during childhood. According to Blakeslee , a prominent psychologist, dietary habits formed in childhood tend to last throughout life.

If children sneak in junk food from home, banning junk foods in school wouldn’t help children to learn healthier ways of eating for life. Instead, the time and effort that went with sneaking in junk food could reinforce the habit of eating it even more.

Some schools in California have changed their policies on junk food. Instead of serving it in the school vending machines, they have switched over to serving carrots and other healthy foods. At these schools , it’s been estimated that students consumed an average of 160 calories less over the course of the school day. This is a significant decrease, and there was no evidence that these students over consumed junk food to any greater degree at home. This would be a significant enough reduction in caloric intake to significantly reduce one’s risk of becoming obese. If food that is served in vending machines at schools has health benefits, it would help to ensure that students get proper nutrition. If students are given the opportunity to buy healthy foods or junk foods from the vending machines, it’s likely that many students would choose the junk foods over healthier foods. Given the success of these bans, it’s likely that more and more schools will begin to follow suit in banning junk food. At least, it’s likely that more schools will stop selling junk food in their vending machines.

San Francisco has put warning labels on sugary sodas. This effort is also being considered by a state lawmaker in California, according to Reuters . While the products haven’t been taken off the shelves in any location, the effort is intended to inform the public about the dangers of drinking large amounts of sugary beverages. Given the fact that governments have issued warnings about sugary sodas, it makes us wonder if we really should allow them to be sold in schools. In addition to warnings on sugary sodas, warnings have been considered for foods that have a high concentration of salt. This is due to the fact that excessive salt intake can cause hypertension (high blood pressure). Some school aged children suffer from the condition. Many popular junk foods, such as potato chips, tend to have extremely high levels of salt. It’s not just San Francisco that is taking a stance on over consumption of junk food. In France, there recently was a law passed to prohibit free refills of sugary sodas.

While these laws have been successfully implemented, many feel that this is evidence that bans on junk food in schools could be a stepping stone to giving the government increased power over our day to day lives. A bill was even considered in New York City that would prevent sodas larger than 16 ounces from being sold. There was a large amount of opposition to this law. It can be difficult to determine where to draw the line as to what constitutes junk food. Foods vary considerably in terms of their nutritional value. So, it could be challenging to create a universal definition of what junk food is.

While many things on the McDonald’s menu are still very much junk food, the chain has begun to make an effort to reduce the amount of trans fats in their foods. According to CBS , one of their french fry oils no longer contains any trans fats. This helps to reduce the negative effects of the grease on the cardiovascular system. Furthermore, they have begun to incorporate healthier menu options in addition to the junk foods they offer. For instance, McDonald’s has started offering a variety of salads. In addition, they have begun to offer snack wraps with a relatively low amount of calories. This illustrates that Americans are becoming more and more health conscious. Therefore, many people would likely be in favor of banning junk foods in schools.

The fact that McDonald’s and other fast food chains have made an effort to make their menu items healthier doesn’t necessarily mean that people would tend to support banning junk foods in schools. McDonalds and other fast food restaurants still sell quite a lot of junk food. Therefore, many people would likely be disappointed about a ban on junk foods in schools.

To ban junk food would be a complete failure. It would also leave people feeling that their freedom of choice was taken. A better way to handle junk food is to make laws more strict about ingredient labels. Perhaps require foods with little nutritional value to have their nutrition facts be bolder and in a bright colour.

Every moving Junk Food franchise accumulates approximately $1 million a day. There are over 500 such franchises all over Australia and USA. Multinational companies like Lay’s, Doritos, etc. also make in the millions and billions. So imagine the amount of money international money, that would be drawn in every month. This kind of a cash flow is a necessity for big country economies to run. Hence, we should no let fast food joints or Junk food producing companies should not be shut down.

i think it is unhealthy i do not want OBESITY

I know junk food is good but at the same time junk food is not. Most people buys junk food but they don’t know that they are just wasting money and destroying their health. So I’ll got for “JUNK FOOD SHOULD BE BANNED”.

Hey! Very well written blog. According to The American Heart Association, we consume more than three times the amount of sugar over the recommended daily limit. Furthermore, these processed foods are tearing holes in our intestinal lining, allowing partially or undigested foods entry into our blood stream. It causes inflammation which not only effects the body but also effects the brain.

“junk food” is healthy and does not deserve a ban people say it is unhealthy and junk but it is NOT people are just jelous

Yes because it can cause a lot of stuff like brain damage and 108millon died cause of dieibites and it can cause cancer and more

keep the animals safe and healthy

ban all junk food so the animals will be saved

dave was here

Junk food can be good for the body if eaten in moderation, your body needs sugar and variety. The only people who get obese because of it, is people who are addicted to takis and stuff.

but…i love takis

takis are the best get a different example

you are grounded for that comment

Sure, junk food is bad for you, but it shouldn’t be banned; we should cut down on it. Junk food should only be eaten in moderation.

Junk food is unhealthy but it shouldn’t be banned because it creates jobs to help with economic debt we should just lower the amount of junk food we eat.

it will make people go to school but they could only get fast food if they do their woork

there were some of the other teams arguments in the other team’s speeches, but overall, this was great!

yes because

i am da god

Yes you are good god

someone wrote their sentence wrong it says ‘negative affects on bone health’ but it is actually ‘effects’.

Does anyone know who wrote this

I am concerned with all of the junk food that my school sells, and what my friends consume, from this school. The school is literally selling obesity, and I am kind of getting sucked into the junk food circle! I want it, but I know that it is horrible for you. I love chips and soda, but I don’t want diabetes, and I don’t love cholesterol.

That you can solve by eating a controlled amount and limiting your pocket money so you can’t afford more and you won’t get addicted.

Then don’t eat it…

All the people who liked this comment were probably adults with children that are obese, lol. Here’s a trick, if you don’t want your children to become obese, feed them healthily, maybe? Your probably buying all the junk food for them…

What are we calling junk food though.? I’m guessing we mean things with little nutrional value that have lots of fat sugar salt etc I’m on a low fat, low sugar, low carb diet due to health issues. I’m not sure we can ban ‘junk’ totally. A burger is deemed unhealthy but surely it’s grilled beef, meat bread and salad if wanted. Bakeries and take aways would disappear as would anything with sugar fat in it. It’s a lovely utopia dream but not really possible, if we eat too much of any one thing it’s not healthy. We can’t survive on just lettuce. Obesity isn’t just about junk food. It you eat large portions that too will encourage weight gain as well as lack of exercise. You can’t make people be more healthy. It’s down to the individual at the end of the day. But if people suffer health issues due to obesity then I think they owe it to the NHS to make an effort. We need to issue overweight people more options like prescribing a membership at the gym. A dietician, or perhaps vouchers to buy more healthy food, which is more expensive. Be hard to monitor though. I do want to cry when I see chubby kids though as that’s not their choice, its down to parents to buy cook their food, therefore allowing a child to become obese amounts to child cruelty in my eyes.

Junk food and fast food should be banned for all of the reasons mentioned. Another reason I feel it should be banned is because people don’t appreciate where the meat in their meals has come from . It’s more than likely been farmed intensively meaning an unfair quality of life for the animal, not the kindest ending to their life. The more worrying thing is that most intensively farmed animals are given antibiotics to prevent disease spreading and speed up their growth . HUMANS are eating this either through meat or dairy consumption and not to mention how much comes out through animal waste ! We are already starting to build a resistance towards antibiotics and surely this is just speeding the process up ? I feel need to go back to basics and start cooking, eat less meat ( or less cheaper intensively farmed meat and dairy) and stop paying these big takeaway companies and supermarkets to continue supplying us with this type of meat. The more we demand the more they supply. How do we get people to wake up to the fact that what they put in their mouths for their convenience is doing a lot more harm than what they realise.

No, and here are 6 reasons why. 1 restricting junk food early on only makes it more irresistible later when it’s their choice. 2 eating junk food can actually be healthy, a recent study shows that certain junk food has antioxidants that are good for the heart. 3 junk food like candy, cookies, and biscuits. 4 children should learn to make their own choices. 5 in school garbages the most wasted food is healthy food. 6 people like it and that’s their choice!

1: NOT restricting junk food early on makes it irresistible later, when you have gotten into a habit of eating delicious foods constantly, it becomes extraordinarily hard to stop later on-especially on young minds. 2: While certain types of junk food have antioxidants, there are much better ways to introduce these antioxidants. Throwing a few chemicals on candy and saying it is healthy is an overkill. 3: These foods could include milk, vegetables, or wholesome breads. 4: Its proven that children have a harder time making the right choice when there is a much more appealing choice. Children who need to learn to make the right choice have much more efficient options to help them learn independence. 5: By only providing healthy food to eat, children will eat that instead of starving themselves because they only eat junk food. By telling them junk food is bad and withholding it they won’t get into a habit of only eating junk food. 6: That’s there is home. At school, they should be educated on making good choices and we shouldn’t expose them to bad foods-even if they like it. Schools are a learning environment after all.

I agree. children should stay healthy but sometimes, they should be able to have it. it shouldn’t be an all the time thing.

I agree most definitely

I’m 18, I had a fairly happy and stable childhood, parents that were together and took care of me. I had many friends, got really good grades and had nothing to stress about. I also had anxiety and depression for the past four years of my life. It has honestly been the worst and most baffling period of my life. I have never been able to understand it. Until recently when i wanted to lose weight and started looking into healthy food alternatives and their health benefits I also started looking into why I started picking up weight in the first place. in my research I found that one of the causes might be a thyroid imbalance I went to the clinic and after a couple of tests they confirmed it. I looked into what caused thyroid problems(junk food) and what effect this would have on me ( one of the symptoms are anxiety and depression). I went to the doctor again because of some other issues I was having with my body and they said I had a gluten intolerance ( also causes anxiety and depression also caused by junk food). I can not explain how badly anxiety and depression ruined my life. It robbed me of so many precious feelings and moments in my life that I will never get to experience again and also simultaneously made me remove any people I might have cared for out of my life because of my fear of hurting them. Four years of my life I will never get back, all because no one explained to me what the labels at the back of my food actually meant. All because no one informed me of how these chemicals effect our bodies, All because buying healthy food is ridiculously expensive in comparison to unhealthy food. I mean this literally ruined my life, if something can cause thus much harm to someone surely it should be illegal. Sorry if this comes across as bitter, its just I would much rather someone had taught me about this in school rather than the Pythagorean theory.

I couldn’t agree more and Thankyou for sharing your experience . Sorry to hear about your health suffering but I am so happy you’ve found out the cause and know how to feel good again . I have a young daughter and I’m scared to let her see what rubbish food restaurants are out there . Everyone thinks I’m overreacting when I don’t want her eating at these places and get offended if I don’t have meals with them . I can understand how it ruins part of your life . I home cook everything and know I’m giving my daughter the best start . Thanks again for your story

Do you know how ridiculous this looks? All because SOMEONE ELSE never showed you how to read labels? So basically its SOMEONE elses fault. As someone who has spent years of their life in therapy/psychiatry I can tell you the root of your problem was more based on blame than food. If you magically got better after you learned something to blame it on.. Sure a crappy diet doesn’t help.. but basically it looks like you finally took action to a problem…and fixed it. Like normal adults. Its part of growing up.

I really appreciate you for sharing your experience with us. It was so sad to hear about your health suffering but on the other side I feel so happy on your recovery. We all know that banning the junk food is not the solution, the children should let themselves think about what is bad or good for their life. I am a seventh standard kid from india. I just want to let the government think about what they would do, we also have the right to chosen that is why our country is a democratic country. Once again I thank you for sharing your experience with us.

Agree that junk food should be banned

Oof dude u alright?

We would love to hear what you think – please leave a comment!

I think junk food should not be banned , because some children does not like eating veggies,i did’nt mean tha t we shoul’dnt eat veggies, we should eat but if we ban it children will stay hungry, and will not be able to concentrate.

Starving is better than being bullied because of your obese self therefore junk food should be banned

great work there bro.

• I think junk food should be banned because of obesity bullying some people commit suicide because of how big they get and the bigger you are the more of earth atmosphere gets used up you die faster than most people And if Global warming is a thing then stay skinny so less of global warming is reduced

What exactly is Junk Food? How does one define junk food? I heard a can of peas is consideered junk food while dry peas is not? Really? I takes time, to prepare dried peas, if one still has their utilities still in tact, no shut off because they can not afford the cost.

Healthy Food Essay

Healthy food essay teaches kids the importance of eating healthy food every day. You can provide the children with BYJU’S importance of healthy food essay.

Food is a fundamental part of our life. It is the fuel that helps us go about our daily routine, and it is the meal that makes us feel good at every minute of the day. Food plays an important role in staying healthy.

The food we eat determines the health of our body, and some foods are better for our bodies than others. Healthy food contains a lot of fibre, has a low glycemic index, and is high in nutrients. Furthermore, the consumption of healthy food benefits our mental and physical health.

This short essay on healthy food helps us understand its significance, along with a healthy lifestyle.

Advantages of Healthy Food

People often consider eating healthy because it helps them look and feel better. There are many reasons to eat healthy food as it has numerous advantages. Some of the most important advantages include reducing the risk of cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes, which eventually improves the quality of life.

There are also people who prefer healthier options for themselves. This can be for various reasons, including not wanting to gain weight, not spending a lot of money on food that would eventually go to waste, or just because they want to make sure their diet is as healthy as possible.

A portion of healthy food can help prevent disease. Moreover, healthy foods can help keep us away from getting sick from all of the chemicals in processed and junk foods.

When we eat healthily, we stay healthy.

Healthy Food vs Junk Food

We are in an era of dominance of the fast-food industry. There is a lot of information on the internet that shows people how they can live healthier and less expensive lives. One of the ways to do this is by purchasing healthy food instead of junk food. Many restaurants and grocery stores have received backlash for their unhealthy options.

It is high time to understand the difference between healthy food vs junk food by reading the healthy food vs junk food essay available at BYJU’S and adapting ourselves to healthy eating habits.

For more essays similar to the healthy food essay and other exciting kids’ learning resources, visit BYJU’S website.

Frequently Asked Questions on Healthy Food Essay

What are the benefits of healthy food.

There are many health benefits to consuming healthy food. Some of the benefits are it helps increase metabolism, enhances the immune system, lessens inflammation associated with heart disease, reduces the risk of cancer, obesity, diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, helps control body weight, etc.

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