Many cultural, familial, and social pressures create a child's food culture. The largest study, of 1,704 students over three years in the 1990's of schools that had reformed their cafeterias showed no change in the body-mass index in the students, although the schools had spent $20 million changing their menus and adding exercise programs and nutritional education. A second study, of more than 5,000 students undertaken at about the same time, came to the same conclusions. Schools can teach better habits and the consequences of bad habits, but there is no guarantee of success and a better way to gauge success is on a student-by-student basis (Belkin 2006:2).
Step 3: Work against commercialism of food
Having organized field trips to gardens, dairies, restaurants can help students connect with food in a more positive manner that counteracts the cultural message of advertising and cartoons. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in Berkley, California has even created a school with its own garden, which provides food for the healthy cafeteria, under the direction of restaurateur, gourmet and natural food pioneer Alice Waters (Stein 2006).
Even if a sustainable garden is not possible, having kids cook meals from scratch for holidays, like the pilgrims did, or grow their own pumpkins. Avoiding participating in commercial food rewards plans sends a consistent message, as does offering healthy snacks for sale, preferably baked by the grades for school fundraisers rather than corporate events.
classes, asking teachers to include movement in class, such as jumping around, dancing, and science projects that involve motion will also engage students more than staring at a screen or sitting all day. Noncompetitive activities that all children can enjoy, rather than competitive sports that only showcase the athletically talented are important to include in the curriculum (Schiesel 2007).
Step 5: Get parents involved
Get parents to come to class and demonstrate healthy meals the love to prepare at home to eat with children. Encourage parents to limit television time and have TV-free holidays for the kids, perhaps offering an alternative, school activity or event instead.
Works Cited
Belkin, Lisa. (20 Aug 2006). "The school lunch test." The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 29 May 2008 at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/20/magazine/20lunches.html?ex=1313726400&en=04fc26d0658f2998&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Figtree, Dale. (2006). Eat Smarter. E-Health books.
Schiesel, Seth. (20 Apt 2007). 'P.E. Classes Turn to Video Game That Works Legs."
The New York Times Retrieved 29 May 2008 at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/30/health/30exer.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Stein, Lisa. (23 Nov 2006). "California food revolution." California Writer. Retrieved 29 May, 2008 at http://californiawriter.blogspot.com/2006/11/california-food-revolution_23.html
