December 21,2011____________________________
®>!» ^Jortlailh (Dhscrtn'r
_O
pinion
All I want for Christmas
is Pizza and French Fries?
Children need
healthier food
choices
decisions about our health without the
benefit of education, awareness, re
sources, and good support systems.
Oftentimes we don’t change our
habits or lifestyle unless
we see a real perceived
by B arbara B aylor
threat on our life, and
Last month, Congress
even then we might not
passed a spending bill
make a change.
that unraveled school
To say that our chil
health lunch standards
dren alone can make good
proposed by the U. S.
d ecisions about w hat
Department of Agricul
foods to eat is a crock.
ture that aimed to revamp nutritional Yes, they would rather eat pizza and
standards for student’s subsidized French fries. We agree that parents
meals.
should model good health routines
The USDA proposals suggested and good eating habits at an early
cutting back on salt; reducing age, and we must not put all the
starchy vegetables like potatoes, blame on parents when this doesn’t
com, lima beans and peas; and add happen.
ing more fresh fruits and vegetables.
We cannot negate the fact that
The USDA also proposed not parents need im portant protec
counting tomato paste on pizza as a tions and support and partner
vegetable.
ships. Think about this. We have
Food companies that produce elim inated structured physical
frozen pizza, the salt industry and education in schools. We have
potato growers lobbied heavily allow ed vending m achines in the
against the changes and some con h ig h s c h o o ls . F o o d d e s e r ts .
servative members of Congress (neighborhoods that are m ore
have called the push for healthier than a m ile from a superm arket)
foods another example of “Nanny prevent access to healthy foods.
State” overreach indicating that the Food com panies dictate w hat
government should not be telling foods can and cannot be served in
children what to eat!
our schools.
The term “Nanny State” refers to
We all have a responsibility to
policies where the government or see to it that our children grow into
state is perceived as being exces healthy productive children. As
sive in its desire to protect, govern obesity rates increase, life expect
or control particular aspects of so ancy decreases and health care costs
ciety. Personally, I do not believe keep rising. It will take intentional,
that’s what was being proposed coordinated and integrated efforts,
here.
faith organizations, communities,
As a public health professional, schools, families, and yes the gov
I understand how it could be per ernment, to continue raising aware
ceived that efforts to reduce child ness about this critical health issue
hood obesity might be seen as con and to work on developing effective
trolling, since Public Health is policies, programs and nutritional
charged with improving the health standards.
of communities through education,
As we celebrate the holidays, no
promotion of healthy lifestyles, re doubt we may all eat some pizza and
search for disease and injury pre French fries. If we do, let us also
vention.
remember to include healthier food
Today, one in three children and choices for our children as a gift of
adolescents are diagnosed as obese life and love.
or overweight, and we are left to
Barbara Baylor is the minister
ponder this sobering reality. As o f Heathcare Justice fo r the United
adults, we often do not make good Church o f Christ.
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