>> In December 2001, the U.S. Surgeon General released a report which identified the growing problem of obesity, especially among younger people.  In 1999, 13% of children and adolescents were overweight, and the number of overweight adolescents has tripled since 1980.

>> Obesity is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, asthma, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, breathing problems, high blood cholesterol, and other problems. Because overweight children and adolescents are more likely to become overweight or obese adults, this poses a huge national health problem.  Already there has been a dramatic increase in a number of conditions in children that are related to obesity, including asthma and Type 2 diabetes.  In fact, 4% of adolescents now have “adult onset” diabetes and, in some clinics, teens represent half of all new cases.

>> School food programs have been a contributing factor to the obesity problem. USDA Undersecretary Eric Bost has made the connection by pointing out how prevalent it is for schools to have vending machines with high-calorie soft drinks and junk food and to sell high-fat items such as pizza and fast foods in school cafeterias. According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 70 percent of middle and junior high schools, and almost all senior high schools, have vending machines or snack bars where junk foods and soft drinks are sold. In addition, more than 20 percent of schools serve brand-name fast foods, often as part of the school lunch program funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Some Articles on School Nutriton & Childhood Obesity

Beets, Not Burgers - Newsweek article (read more)