Child Obesity
Kimberly Mason
English 1010-1:30
October 30, 2013
Michelle Obama 's Meal Plans
Lowering Obesity or Increasing Starvation?
What is a calorie? Webster 's Dictionary states: a calorie is either of two units of heat energy; often used to measure the energy value of foods. The very basics of a calorie are energy. Michelle Obama is taking out calories and minimizing food portions in schools. Her "Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2012" was created to lower the amount of obese children, but starving kids out of what could be their only meal a day isn 't healthy or hunger free. This act is limiting school lunches to eight hundred and fifty calorie meals."A Guide to Eating Healthy for Sports" that says active teens require 2000 to 5000 calories per day to adequately meet their growth and energy needs" (Anderson, par 5). Obama had a logical reason for lowering the portions and number of calories by replacing the normal slice of pizza with the better choice of an apple and some carrot sticks, but I don 't think she considered the fact that the lunch kids get at school, is the only meal they have all day. How is it fair that how we eat and what we eat is dictated by the government? Just because many people are overweight or obese doesn 't mean it should affect other people, healthy or not. It 's like saying because there are many diabetic people in the world; everyone has to take the insulin shots. “You have to admit that teaching kids to eat whole wheat pizza and baked sweet potato fries can be as arduous as teaching them to like opera. Kids want ice cream and potato chips — the same as adults. You never leave a party and turn to your spouse, saying, “That veggie tray was truly out of this world!” The importance of better nutrition shouldn 't be overlooked, but we need to be realistic. Though setting limits on calories is wise, it can 't be a one-size-fits-all approach. Think of the high school athlete forced to eat a skimpy lunch only to face hours
English 1010-1:30
October 30, 2013
Michelle Obama 's Meal Plans
Lowering Obesity or Increasing Starvation?
What is a calorie? Webster 's Dictionary states: a calorie is either of two units of heat energy; often used to measure the energy value of foods. The very basics of a calorie are energy. Michelle Obama is taking out calories and minimizing food portions in schools. Her "Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2012" was created to lower the amount of obese children, but starving kids out of what could be their only meal a day isn 't healthy or hunger free. This act is limiting school lunches to eight hundred and fifty calorie meals."A Guide to Eating Healthy for Sports" that says active teens require 2000 to 5000 calories per day to adequately meet their growth and energy needs" (Anderson, par 5). Obama had a logical reason for lowering the portions and number of calories by replacing the normal slice of pizza with the better choice of an apple and some carrot sticks, but I don 't think she considered the fact that the lunch kids get at school, is the only meal they have all day. How is it fair that how we eat and what we eat is dictated by the government? Just because many people are overweight or obese doesn 't mean it should affect other people, healthy or not. It 's like saying because there are many diabetic people in the world; everyone has to take the insulin shots. “You have to admit that teaching kids to eat whole wheat pizza and baked sweet potato fries can be as arduous as teaching them to like opera. Kids want ice cream and potato chips — the same as adults. You never leave a party and turn to your spouse, saying, “That veggie tray was truly out of this world!” The importance of better nutrition shouldn 't be overlooked, but we need to be realistic. Though setting limits on calories is wise, it can 't be a one-size-fits-all approach. Think of the high school athlete forced to eat a skimpy lunch only to face hours
Cited: Anderson, Jessica Cumberbatch. Huff Post Black Voices. September 26, 2012. Fábregas, Luis. Trib Live Radio Sports Talk. September 6, 2013.