Soft drinks to be banned from schools as child obesity rises, NSW Government:
The first article discusses the growing obesity rates among children and the need to provide healthier lunch options at school canteens. In 2004, the government released new policies in an attempt to rid schools of junk food. However, it has not been lived up to and many unhealthy options are still available for children to eat. The second article is from the NSW government, announcing the ban of soda at canteens. The findings of the most recent Schools Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (SPANS) are also discussed, including that 15 year olds are showing signs of diseases usually not seen until people are in their 40s. The article then goes on to highlight the efforts of the government to fight child obesity. Although both sources agree that child obesity is an issue that needs to be tackled, it seems that the government is not doing enough. The latest reform was in 2004, as well as the last study of child obesity in Australia. If this problem is to make any progress, the government needs to enforce stricter standards in school canteens.
ABC News: Babies fed french fries and cake: study
ReplyDeletehttp://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/06/3003801.htm?section=justin
Jane Scott a professor from Flinders University conducted a study in Perth examining the eating habits of 500 babies. Her findings represented that 90% of babies "had already received biscuits and cakes" and that 80% of babies had "hot chips or french fries" in their diets. She believes the results, while strictly from Perth, can be applied across the entire country. Scott also said that her research is not specific to one socio-economic group and that her findings, while shocking, were not surprising. I think that this study typifies how unhealthy people are eating even they are just babies. Studies like this are alarming and there is a definite parallel to consider in relation to the U.S. and its own drastic eating/dieting problem that is affecting people of every demographic.