Yes, it’s true. With the student obesity epidemic higher than ever in the United States, education facilities across the nation have done their part to prevent young children from eating fatty foods at school.
According to a Sept. 27 article in the Los Angeles Times, many educators around the country have created healthier alternatives for birthday celebrations, such as eating carrot sticks or apple slices.
But wouldn’t a child rather have a big chocolate cupcake smothered in vanilla frosting, with rainbow sprinkles sticking to their little fingers? Of course they would.
Bringing in baked goods, whether they are cookies or cupcakes, is a tradition fondly remembered by generations of parents across the country. Taking this family fun away doesn’t seem like the right thing to do, and many people have the same sentiment.
Last year, the Texas Legislature passed the so-called “Safe Cupcake” amendment. This guarantees parents’ right to bring unhealthy treats to the classroom, such as Sweetheart candies on Valentine’s Day and candy corn on Halloween.
Rep. Jim Dunnam sponsored the legislation after a school in his district kicked out a father who brought in pizzas for a birthday party. “There’s a lot of reasons our kids are getting fat,” said Dunnam, a Democrat from Waco, Texas. “Cupcakes aren’t one of them.”
If people think treats at school are the sole reason for the childhood obesity epidemic, they are most definitely mistaken. The fact of the matter is that our children are becoming obese and we need to take control over the situation before it is too late.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 19 percent of American children ages six to 11 are overweight. As far as adolescents are concerned, more than 17 percent, ages 12 to 19, were overweight between 2003 and 2004. It’s not just a person’s physical appearance that affects his or her life. Childhood obesity carries many health risks, including Type 2 diabetes, which use to only be found in adults.
At least Californians are beginning to understand the seriousness of the situation.
We were one of the first states to ban junk food and soda in schools, and several other school districts across the nation have followed our lead.
“It is a very serious problem, and some districts are looking not only to change what is offered and sold during lunchtime, but what is being provided during the rest of the school day,” said Martin Gonzalez, an assistant executive director of the California School Boards Association.
Although many agree with Gonzalez, it is the cupcake ban that really has people in an uproar. Even nutritionists think it is ridiculous.
Dr. Nancy Krebs, co-chairwoman of the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Obesity, had a few words of wisdom to share.
“The more you restrict these special foods – cakes or sweets or whatever – they become even more valued by children. It can almost kind of backfire. You want to have a kind of pragmatic approach that sweets and desserts are OK in moderation and not put them up on a pedestal.”
In the end, we all know our children need guidance. They need a helping hand in order to make the right decisions. So we should do as much as we can to help stop childhood obesity even if that means only having half a cupcake. They’ll thank us in the long run.
