First lady Michelle Obama has been fighting childhood obesity since her husband claimed the Oval Office four years ago. She has taken great strides and has inspired many young people through her speeches and programs across America.
But, there is one thing that needs to be tweaked. Instead of looking to end child obesity, the first lady should be preaching the start of healthy lifestyles.
People, especially children, respond best to positive reinforcement.
The students of Wallace County High School in Sharon Springs, Kan. are proof of this.
In 2010, Congress passed a law that requires high school cafeterias to serve meals containing 750 to 850 calories. They must also serve twice the amount of vegetables and fruits and reduce portions of proteins and carbohydrates.
This made for some not-so-happy teenagers. So, they responded with a parody of Fun’s “We are Young,” that proclaims, “We are Hungry.” The latest YouTube sensation has more than half a million views.
People have never responded well to limits placed on them. No one likes to be told what to do, especially when it should be a personal choice.
For example, the government gave in when it could no longer control the people after 13 years of Prohibition.
Students who eat fried food and sweets for lunch are no different from the grown men who drank alcohol every day before Prohibition.
The outcome will ultimately be the same, as history always repeats itself.
Weight is not the defining characteristic of health. People, including children, can have a variety of underlying health problems that are affected by eating behaviors. Obese people are not the only ones who have diabetes and cardiovascular problems.
If the ultimate goal is to end childhood obesity, then society loses sight of what a healthy lifestyle is all about. Crash diets, rigorous workouts and fat-diminishing surgeries all give the illusion of health but are quite contrary to that.
For many American children, a school lunch is their only meal in a day. It’s not right to limit what they are allowed to place on their trays as they proceed through the lunch line. The government has no way to measure how empty their stomachs are.
Obesity suggests a person must lose a set amount of weight to fall into a normal weight range. This insinuates that obesity is a problem that society must fix, instead of allowing people to be comfortable with their own bodies.
By limiting food intake, the government is judging people who fall into the obese weight range.
As mentioned before, the calorie law also placed restraints on the amount of protein and carbohydrates for students in the lunchroom.
All food is good in moderation. It would prove more beneficial to teach these children healthy guidelines than to give them smaller portions for no reason.
Children, especially high school students, need a large amount of calories each day. They are studying, playing and doing many other things that burn a large amount of calories. Unlike adults, who are no longer growing, children need more nutrients to fuel their bodies.
Placing a limitation on calories gives children the impression that the amount of calories they consume in a day is significant. Rather, the amount of time spent being active and eating all foods in moderation is the key to achieving a healthy lifestyle.
The word “obese” should never be used to describe a child, because he or she is still growing. A child needs a well-balanced diet.
Ultimately, placing a maximum amount of calories allowed per meal in school cafeterias will never be a long-term solution to obesity if the students are not taught how to make healthy choices.
Abby Wolz is a health sciences freshman at UF. Her column runs on Thursdays. You can contact her at opinions@alligator.org.
