Michelle Obama ,School Meals , and Childhood Obesity

Part 2 Obama, Obesity, and Federally Subsidized Meals in the Schools

  Currently, federal officials attempted to place limits on saturated fat, French fries, and other forms of white potatoes served in school programs.  However, the food industry lobby and their lawmakers did not like that idea and said no, because it did not serve their interests.  Forget about nutrition. Where were the parents and schools in this argument?  Having a lot of potatoes served in the schools must be good for somebody; so what if it is not good for the children. Thank goodness we have lobbyists and lawmakers looking out for?  Lawmakers represent whom?

With the new standards, next year, the schools are required to offer students ¾ to 1 cup of vegetables, plus a half to 1 cup of fruit a day, which is about double the amount currently served in these school programs.  But, nutrition groups( synonymous with those  that run school cafeterias), school districts and food service companies” worry” that students  do not like fruits and vegetables and would simply throw them away.  Their solution was what? They said just change the rule (reduce or limit the amounts) and then the kids would eat those amounts, because it is easier. I do not understand that “reasoning”, if you call it that, and that was clearly not their motivation.   Remember, a rule is just a rule and man-made.   They claimed the Department of Agriculture’s rule would result in more cost for the schools .Well, what if it did?

Let us get this straight.  Limiting fatty, salty and sugary foods and replacing them with nonfat milk, fruits and vegetables cost more money.  Since it costs more money for “healthy foods,” Just feed the children foods that make money for the various interest groups - the food industry.  So what if the kids eat saturated foods like in French fries or starchy vegetables like potatoes. So what if these foods are related to childhood obesity.  Do we place all the blame on the farm lobby, and our wonderful lawmakers?  Did you know that tomato sauce on pizza counts toward a vegetable requirement? Well, the agricultural department attempted to diminish that silly vegetable requirement, but the food industry complained and Congress blocked that effort. Congress did what?  Who are these members?  I do not want them representing me.

 So we have one government agency coming up with ideas to deal with the obesity problem only to be opposed by another form of government   i.e.  the House, Senate along with the various lobbies, Just continue feeding unhealthy foods to the kids with both the parents and the school boards remaining silent.   In other words profit, rationalization, complacency and ignorance triumphs health.  Come on parents lobby your school district.  Does anyone out there want to form a health and fitness lobby?   

 Am I just spitting in the wind? I hope not!  As part of my tapering program for next Saturday’s 35Km, I am going to run a short 6 mile loop.  Another benefit to running on the trail is that it helps reduce the stress about the things that I read about in the Wall Street Journal.