Junk food is an important issue to me and my peers because it affects our health, our lives and everything in between. Junk food is an important issue because of the amount of people it can hurt. This issue affects my peers’ health and education because they can become too distracted by the food that is brought and consumed during that school day to focus on the lesson that is being taught in class. This issue affects my peers due to the fact that last year our school had a Starbucks issue in which was about our Wallenberg students going to Starbucks before school and thought of it as breakfast. Our School felt as if this was not healthy and disruptive towards the class. Therefore, Some Students and Administrators came together to come up with a solution to this issue.
Food is one of the most talked about issues in schools today. Junk food affects my community because of the amount of students who eat it. This affects their health and everyone around them. Junk food began with food and people. People create junk food by frying and developing new ways to make money by creating something that will last a more than a lifetime: junk food. People start it and people get affected. People develop certain things to gain certain things. In this case it was Junk food for money. The manufacturing of food and beverage started in the 19th century. It started with simple canned foods in which developed into bread, biscuits and sweets which then eventually lead to what we all know and love today: Junk food (www.teara.govnt.nz).
My Issue: Junk Food is important because of the amount of people it affects. It affects more than we realize. Junk food affects everyone because it’s a constant cycle where they buy junk food, bring it to school, eat it, share it and goes around in a never ending loop. My peers are constantly surrounded by the massive amount of manufactured goods that it lures them to buying it without a second thought. Junk food is a craved food all around the world and that affects everyone’s health including my peers. My peers do not recognize the amount of fats, calories and sugars junk food has in it. “One recent study among middle and high school students in California found that students with nearby fast food restaurants consumed fewer servings of fruit and vegetables more servings of soda” (www.preventioninstitue.org). They do not realize the amount of lives junk food has killed. Most of which are due to obesity and heart attacks. Most of the students don’t know that obesity actually leads to heart attacks and is the most common in teens. “In 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released an updated version of its Dietary Guidelines for Americans—featuring a new graphic dubbed “MyPlate”—advising that a healthy diet should typically consist of about 50 percent fruits and vegetables” (www.ucsusa.org). Therefore, students should maintain a healthy diet.
Junk food has been manufactured for years and mostly directs its attention towards teens.“Food manufacturers still have access to students through vending machines, a la carte lines, and school stores. Nearly half of elementary school students can buy junk food at school, and a 2005 study found that 68% of students drank sugary beverages during the school day. Not only that, the food industry views schools as prime advertising real estates – making use of walls, scoreboards, and even yearbooks to market their brands” (http://www.preventioninstitute.org). This issue relates to my community because of how many of my peers eat and bring junk food to school. This issue also dates back to the Starbucks issue we had. Junk food has an impact on my world/life/community by the amount of it that is being consumed by my peers each day without them knowing what can happen to them of they eat too much of it. This issue is important to me because I have family members who are obese and are developing diseases because of it. They are expected to eat healthy, eat medicine and change their diets. I know that my peers will not want something like this to happen to them. Therefore, Junk food is harmful to our bodies and change is needed to keep it strong and healthy.
Junk food is an important issue to me and my peers because it affects our health, lives and everything in between.The issue I choose is junk food.This issue can be solved by spreading knowledge about the harmful affects junk food has on the human body. Junk food may be a craved snack but you can always change what you eat. It may seem like a hard thing to do but who knows maybe you might find something you like to eat that’s healthy for you. Even though you may crave junk food it’s good to just let that roll off your back and go for something else. Just remember that instead of biting on that chocolate bar try something else like a carrot or a banana.
Works Cited:
“Feelings Key to Junk Food Temptation.” › News in Science (ABC Science). Web. 14 Sept. 2015.
“To Eat Unhealthy, or Not At All – Is Junk Food Better Than No Food?” 19 Mar. 2014. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.
“Prevention Institute: Strategic Alliance.” QuickFacts: The Impact of Food Environment on Diet. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2015.
“Unhealthy Food Policy.” Union of Concerned Scientists. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.
“Front of Package Fail: Labels Tout Healthier Foods for Kids, 84% Studied Flunk Nutrition Standards.” Prevention Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2015.
“Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand.” Food and Beverage Manufacturing –. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2015.
Perspective By: Elaine Huang
Raoul Wallenberg High School 