by Sara Perman
"Students aren't eating healthy anymore. School lunches are making our kids fat!"
This is what countless adults not just in Anchorage, but all over the country are saying about youths and our eating habits. Sure, they have a point. There are studies that show how much more overweight kids are today than they were 50 years ago. But can they really blame it all on us? I say the problem lies in something bigger. What about the schedule that adults have set up for us? Eating lunch at 10:30 a.m. can't possibly be that healthy.
Look at it this way: We're going to get heavier the more we eat, right? Well, if we are eating at 10:30 a.m., there is no way we can make it to 5:30 p.m. or whenever dinner generally is without eating again. By making lunchtime between 10:30 and 11 a.m., high school students are exposed to a cycle where they eat early in the day, go home hungry way before dinner and eat another midday meal! If we had a more regular lunchtime, like, say 12:30 p.m., we might actually be able to survive.
When I hear adults complain about youths' unhealthy eating habits, and the current obesity problem, it's hard not to roll my eyes and walk away. It's not that I don't believe that these problems exist today- there is more than enough evidence that Americans, especially young ones are growing more and more obese. It's that I don't think the blame should be assigned to the “unhealthy eaters.” Really we just eat what's put in front of us. Earlier this year the Anchorage School District decided to clear the vending machines of goodies like Hershey's Chocolate Bars and the original Lays Potato Chips in exchange for “healthier foods” such as Pop Tarts and Pretzels. Well excuse me for being the pessimist, but last time I checked pop tarts were hardly considered healthy. With this in mind don't be surprised that I'm skeptical about “the man's” ideas on how to improve our health.
From a youth's perspective it's a whole ‘nother world out there. Here's one of my ideas on how to cut back on teen obesity.
Consider an average local teenagers daily day- get up at about 6:45 a.m., grab a quick breakfast and book it out of the house in order to make it to school without getting a detention. Sit in classes for the next few hours and then at 10:30 a.m. rrrrring rrrrrrin rrrriiing, the bell signaling lunchtime is dinging and it's time for 100 cars to pour out of the parking lots hitting up the Costco's, Sagayas, Wings n' things, and Carrs of Anchorage. The period lasts 45 minutes and its back to class to learn, or fall asleep- whichever is more prevalent after lunchtime. At 2 p.m. school is dismissed and it's back home to do whatever comes next.
Now what comes next? I'm sure both parents and students know the answer to this question. Hit the refrigerator- it's time to eat.
So in essence- kids just keep eating. But I think that it's the fact that we are eating at 10:30 am to blame. Who is going to last from 10:30 a.m. ‘til dinnertime without snacking? Not me, not my friends, maybe no one- including those of us who are “overweight.”
My suggestion is push lunch back to a reasonable time, like 12 or 1 p.m. What? That messes up the school schedule you say? Well there is an easy way to fix that. Lets just start school 2 hours later. I have no problem sleeping in. This way we address not only the healthy eating habits, but also the healthy sleeping habits that everyone keeps on telling us teens we need to learn.
Savvy?
School Lunch Commentary
