Can You Fight Obesity In Schools?

Each school district in the US is different from the next. Some larger ones have different things that smaller ones can not afford or feel are not necessary. At times, what a school has depends on the economic condition of the area in which it is located. Some of these areas have higher levels of obesity than others leading parents to wonder if obesity in schools is more prevalent than they thought. If you feel this is a problem in your area, and your child is at what you feel to be an unhealthy weight, think about what you can do at home and what may need to change at your school.

Some schools have foods that you can not get at other schools, and some parents believe this is a big reason why obesity in schools in a problem in some areas. These schools have sponsored meals made by companies that you probably recognize. These are national chains that have struck deals with schools to have their food available in the cafeteria. Children go to school and have a choice of the healthy food the school may have, and what they can buy from outside vendors. As you can imagine, many children go for the names they know, even though those foods are not so good for them.

In other cases, the schools can only do the best that they can do. Obesity in schools may be related to the cutting of some programs that schools simply can not afford to have any longer. One such thing is physical education. Some schools had to part with the program entirely, while others have cut back from having this every day to just a few times a week. When this happens, children do not get as much exercise and are not exposed to fun games and sports that they may want to play. Without this in their life, they can rely on other things to do, none of which have the same health values as exercise in any form.

At times, there is nothing you can do about these changes that have come about in relation to obesity in schools. However, you can change what you do at home. You can make sure your children are getting better foods for breakfast and dinner. You can control how often you eat fast foods or other foods that are high in calories yet low in nutritional value. You can also make sure that you plan activities that get your children up and moving. Put limits on the time they can watch TV and play video games and take away their phones for a few hours when you want to have family time.

You can also learn to lead by example instead of leading with words. This can be one of the most powerful tools you have in relation to fighting obesity in schools. You should eat right and exercise without making a big deal out of what you are doing. Don't talk about the health benefits of what you are doing act as if it is what you do and it is how things should naturally be. Your children learn and grow by watching you, and even when they will not be perfect, they will learn from you and do some of the same things you do. Make sure they are picking up positive habits.