WILL WE OUTLIVE OUR CHILDREN? By: Madison Summers, Hannah Harper, & Wendie Castleman

What’s the fuss about?  It’s pretty scary when statistics state that “Today’s generation is the 1 st generation of Americans in 200 years NOT expected to outlive their parents!”  If 1 out of 4 children are clinically obese; where are we failing the children? At school, home, or a little of both?  What’s the nutritional guidelines for the school system? Does their budget allow them to include healthy food items like fresh fruit and vegetables?  When the children are at home, are they outside playing, or busy inside watching the television and playing video games while snacking on junk food?  Do parent’s rely on vitamins to give their children the nutritional components needed?

Why is this so important?  The statistics for today’s generation is very scary. To be told that you as a parent will more than likely outlive your child should be a wake up call. Someone needs to research this behavior and make a change when the children are pre-school age. If a change doesn’t happen soon, the statistics are going to go from ‘1 out of 4 children are clinically obese’ to 3 out of 4 children are clinically obese. The change must happen at a young age; not later in life. A change must be made in the nutritional guidelines for the school lunches.  The lunches that are served at school have nutritional requirements. As a parent have you ever looked to see what type of requirements they are, or perhaps wondered if they have the same definition of a “nutritional meal” as you do? I don’t want to outlive my child, so let’s dig deeper and find out exactly what type of requirements they have.

Current regulations require schools to meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommends that no more than 30 percent of an individual’s calories come from fat, and less than 10 percent from saturated fat. Regulations also establish a standard for school meals to provide one-third of the Recommended Daily Allowance of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium, and calories. Schools have the option to choose one of four systems for their menu planning: Nutrient Standard Menu Planning, Assisted Nutrient Standard Menu Planning, the traditional meal pattern, and the enhanced meal pattern. Both Nutrient Standard and Assisted Nutrient Standard Menu Planning systems base their planning on a computerized nutritional analysis of the week’s menu. The traditional and enhanced meal pattern options base their menu planning on minimum component quantities of meat or meat alternate; vegetables and fruits; grains and breads; and milk. Nutritional Requirements for School Lunch

Example story # 1 This is a real example from Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution series from Huntington, WV which is rated America’s unhealthiest city.  Story 1:Pastor Steve introduces Jamie to a local family that could really use his help on changing their eating habits. The moms name is Stacie. She has 3 boys and 1 girl. Most of the family is overweight. Her husband is a truck driver and is on the road 2-3 weeks at a time. Jamie had all of their receipts from last week and from the receipts Jamie has listed all the food they ate last week. Jamie then cooks that week's worth of food and piles it together for the family to realize how much food that really is. The mom opens the freezer door and it is stacked with frozen pizzas. There are at least 2 dozen there. Most of the food is prepared in a deep fryer. Jamie takes their deep fryer, and after Jamie has the mom say a prayer, buries it in the back yard. He talks to the mom, explaining to her that she is making her children's life shorter feeding them this way. She becomes very emotional and wants to change. At least Jamie did find someone that is open to change unlike the school cooks and principal. The children are open to change as well and welcome it. The 12 year old, Justin gets picked on at school because of his size, and wants to become healthy. He also wants to be a chef. Jamie forms a bond with Justin. Jamie then goes and buys healthy and fresh food. He has the aspiring chef Justin help him prepare it. They prepare a pasta dish and a salad. He gives the family recipes and menus to use for the rest of week and will come back to follow up.

Example story # 2 Example story from Michael Humphrey  I have spent the greater part of my life obese by medical standards. I grew up on the packaged foods that most of the kids of my generation ate. When I moved to New York last August, I decide this was the chance I needed to change my life. Using the subway system I walked more, all of the chain restaurants had to list their calories and trans fatty foods are banned–that was the kick-start I needed. I visited the nutritionist on my insurance plan, walked as much as I could and counted calories. Once the easy pounds came off and I got stuck, I started using the gym. So far I have lost 60 pounds and still have 20 more before I hit a healthy weight. There are no tricks to it, I began moving more and eating better. It was simple but not easy. The struggle is fighting those cravings as my brain courses through its addictions. I have to keep my mind on other things, to eat foods that are healthy but filling, to avoid giant portions more than specific foods and to eat more vegetables. These are all of the points Oliver makes on his show.  It is the wake-up call our nation needs to kick its habit.

Letter to the mayor

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Opponents’ arguments A look from another point of view.  When it comes to childhood obesity, the first thing society looks at are the schools. Although it is easy to blame, that might not always be the case. What happens at home with the children during the afternoons and on weekends is up to the parents or guardians. Technology is beginning to consume children's life. Video Games, televisions, and computers are more important to children now then riding bicycles and climbing trees, activities that require physical activity. Not only is there lack of exercise at home, but when some children get out of school, their parents stop at a fast food restaurant for a snack to hold them over until dinner time, and then still eat a full meal. It has been said that commercials such as McDonalds prey on children wanting unhealthy foods. Instead of parents pushing healthy food and exercise, they take the convenient and easy way out. If putting a Nintendo in front of a child buys a parent a little more quiet time or free time, they that is usually what they do. It has also been reported that 40% of children in the United States between 5 and 8 are obese.

resources Website URLInformation obtained: ms/nslp.html Nutritional requirements for school lunch iewtopic.php?id=60408 Idea & information to create our brochure tm75.nb/topstory.html Example Stories

collaborators Jamie OliverFood Revolution Campaign Mayor Harold PerrinMayor of Arkansas