Food Policy Reform in Schools Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Food Policy Reform in Schools - Research Paper Example For the lower socioeconomic groups, the food is free, whereas for the upper group children, it is provided at a cost but a subsidized rate. The main objective of the program is to deliver a healthy and nutritious diet for children at school and to develop good eating habits and promote healthy eating practices during the growing period when nutrition is utmost important for the development of the child (USDA 2008). More than 94% of the schools have subscribed to the NSLP and this is provided under the National School Lunch Act 1946 that was adopted as a policy by the Harry Truman Administration. About 17% of the federal budget meant for food and nutrition assistance programs actually goes to the NSLP (USDA 2008). During the implementation and development of the program initially in the 1940’s and the 1950’s, greater effort was being laid on addressing poverty, starvation and malnutrition in children. However, today, the concern is much different, and seems to be an equa l challenge that was present during the baby days of the NSLP. There is a growing concern of obesity and being overweight in children, especially in the lower socioeconomic groups who find it difficult to address their health needs (Rogers 2010). The NSLP was earlier meant to help children who were eating a diet at home to eat more and to meet their higher calorie and protein demand. Besides, there are children coming from diverse family backgrounds having diverse food nutrition and food needs and it would often be difficult to cater to their tastes. Hence, it would be difficult to meet the various needs through one lunch program. There are other concerns also including the sustaining the program through the federal funding and donations may create difficulties, facing stiff competition from the junk food sector, unnecessarily creating a crunch for the agricultural produce, and outdated structure of the program. In this paper, we would analyze one of the problems faced by the NSLP, look at the viable alternatives, and develop a solution to resolve the same (US Government Accounting Office 2003). Define and analyze the problem One of the main concerns of the NSLP is that the objectives of the program may not be in line with the requirements of the children today. When the program was being implemented during its baby days, its main aim was to address malnutrition, weakness and starvation in children and provide them with a nutritious meal for at least once daily. However, today, the program is considered as a factor that is causing obesity and unhealthy eating in children, and there is a concern on the quality of foods that is currently being served via the program. There is a growing concern whether the program is worsening the effect of obesity in the population in order to support the agricultural sector. Even the poor today are no more undernourished and are facing a stiffer problem with obesity. The program is encouraging the overconsumption of energy and fats and is also increasing the amount of food being consumed by children. As children of the poor are provided by food at lower costs, they are encouraged to eat more, not helping in reducing obesity and in the process developing eating habits that would worsen the problem further in life. The child when he or she grows into an adult would be prone to several health risks including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, stroke, etc. There were concerns as to why the NSLP was