Time sacrifices child nutrition

Today's teenagers have a lot of things working against them when it comes to nutrition.

Consumer choices are seemingly endless and students tend to have a lot of spending money. When they are pressed for time, some teens do not make the best nutritional choices. They toss a couple bucks in a vending machine and buy a soft drink and a candy bar and dart off to the next class or activity.

School nutrition programs have attempted to create menus that students enjoy and which also meet federal nutritional standards. Still, many students leave campus where many of them purchase meals at fast-food restaurants or convenience stores. Others may skip lunch completely. There is the added concern about students driving off campus at lunch time and racing back to school when they are late, which can have tragic consequences.

The connection between proper nutrition and academic achievement is well understood. At some point, the phenomenon of students not eating or not eating well because they are too pressed for time will result in learning losses and behavioral issues. A State Board of Education committee that has asked state education staffers to review how much time schools allow for lunch is to be commended for its concern about child well being.

Meanwhile, Rep. Pat Jones, D-Cottonwood Heights, is sponsoring legislation that would ban minimal-nutritional-value foods from sale in elementary school. Jones' bill makes sense because elementary school is an ideal time to teach children the importance of exercise and eating a healthy diet. It makes little sense to impart such lessons and then tempt young children with snacks laden with sugar, fat and excessive salt.

Healthy eating is primarily a family's responsibility but most parents recognize they cannot control their children's diets when they are away from home. That's why parents must strive to impress upon children the importance of a healthy diet as well as taking time to enjoy their food and their fellow diners' company. Eating on the run can hardly be a satisfactory experience.

But more importantly, one-fourth of Utah kindergartners through eighth-graders are at an unhealthy weight and nearly 12 percent considered obese. This trend is alarming. As such, parents and public policymakers have a responsibility to explore every means to optimize child health and wellness.