Should we ban fast food near schools?

[Der Nister]

Should we ban fast food near schools?

A new study in California shows a strong link between teen obesity and the proximity of fast food restaurants to schools.

According to an article in the LA Times, the presence of a fast food chain like McDonald's, Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut within walking distance of school (about 530 feet or less) resulted in a 5.2 percent increase in incidence of student obesity when compared with students attending schools not near restaurants.

OK, I know. Obesity can be caused by lots of things including genetics, lack of exercise, and nutrition, but some researchers believe that fast food proximity to schools is a contributing factor. I may have eaten Taco Bell from time to time back in the day. Those spots were a hangout because it was cheap, fast, and (as they say) close to the school.

Fast Food Debate

Does location really matter when you can't watch 15 minutes tv without seeing fast food commercials? They (the fast food industry) drill into everyone's head daily to eat their food. TV/Radio/internet.......it's everywhere.

So, why the controversy about location?

Will it actually help kids if they have to go a little farther for their favorite fast food? I don't think it would.

Edited December 2, 2009 by Der Nister

[jynxxxedangel]

What would cities do about the fast food businesses that already exist in close proximity to campuses? Run them out of town? Those franchise owners already paid, fair and square, for their business licenses. A lot of time and money goes into planning and opening a restaurant. I don't think that would be right. It would also eliminate a means of employment for many local citizens (and we all know how rare jobs are, in ANY city or state, right now).

I do have mixed feelings about this, though. I humbly agree, that many kids will skip out on the healthy meals served in the cafeteria, if there is a fast food joint around the corner. It's sad, but true.

Edited December 2, 2009 by jynxxxedangel

[EvilEve]

with the constant advertising of fast food places, and the fact that there are addictive chemicals in the food that make you CRAVE their food, i'm surprised that people aren't actually bigger than what the facts are showing. we use to be active creatures, and now with everything basically handed to us, or conveniently located, we've grown lazy in more ways than one.

[jynxxxedangel]

Perhaps if our schools would accentuate the importance of Home Economics, Cottage Agriculture, etc, we wouldn't have a society that is so dependent on convenience foods.

If more people knew how to cook, plan and budget healthy meals, shop economically, and grow their own foods, we wouldn't have such a problem with obesity in this country.

Many children, AND adults, rely on prepared foods simply because they don't know HOW to cook or pack a lunch. In that case, it has nothing to do with laziness.

Do they even teach Home Ec in middle and high school, anymore?!

Edited December 2, 2009 by jynxxxedangel

[n0Mad]

You can't legislate what is right, you can only educate.

[jynxxxedangel]

You can't legislate what is right, you can only educate.

That pretty much sums up what I was trying to say.

[candyman]

No...no no no NO! Shit have we become so lazy with no understanding of education and the basic thought process that we just start banning shit if it is considered a problem or wrong by some people?

It doesn't matter what is around the schools anyways...they aren't doing their job that well to begin with so what the hell...give the kids a crappy education missing big chunks of important crap that has been replaced with clean, processed learning and you might as well make them unhealthy and fat.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

Sure we should... as soon as we can show that doubling the penalties for drug crimes within a certain range of schools has actually gotten the drugs out of our schools.

[Rev.Reverence]

Perhaps if our schools would accentuate the importance of Home Economics, Cottage Agriculture, etc, we wouldn't have a society that is so dependent on convenience foods.

If more people knew how to cook, plan and budget healthy meals, shop economically, and grow their own foods, we wouldn't have such a problem with obesity in this country.

Many children, AND adults, rely on prepared foods simply because they don't know HOW to cook or pack a lunch. In that case, it has nothing to do with laziness.

Do they even teach Home Ec in middle and high school, anymore?!

..ignorance...way more dangerous than laziness...

[pomba gira]

That would be pretty damn hypocritical since most school lunches I've seen in recent years consist almost entirely of carbs, fat, and salt. I am definitely in favor of banning soda and candy machines in schools... but having "fast food free" zones around schools is going a bit far, and as Jynxxxie points out, does nothing to address the basic problem. Not to mention that fast food "restaurants" are not the only source of unhealthy food... you can get greasy salty sandwiches & pizza at most party stores and gas stations nowadays.

Perhaps if our schools would accentuate the importance of Home Economics, Cottage Agriculture, etc, we wouldn't have a society that is so dependent on convenience foods.

If more people knew how to cook, plan and budget healthy meals, shop economically, and grow their own foods, we wouldn't have such a problem with obesity in this country.

Many children, AND adults, rely on prepared foods simply because they don't know HOW to cook or pack a lunch. In that case, it has nothing to do with laziness.

Do they even teach Home Ec in middle and high school, anymore?!

Nope. That kind of thing is the first to go when the budgets get cut, and also when admins freak out because the school isn't making AYP so they decide to focus on nothing but "basic skills". The Michigan Model health curriculum does address nutrition but IMHO that's pretty pointless if you aren't telling people HOW to prepare decent food. There is also the fact that many low income families don't have regular access to fresh, non-processed food. I actually live in a "food desert", which means there is no source of fresh produce or meat within a 1-mile radius of my home. Not a big deal for me, but for someone without a car it means they get a fair amount of their food from party/convenience stores, which means paying more for less nutrition.

[n0Mad]

That pretty much sums up what I was trying to say.

Yep.

Also, it's like parenting. You can tell your kid to do A and forbid him to do B so what does he do? B of course. But if you educate him about both A and B and the benefits and consequences of each and give him the freedom to make his own choices, he might choose B on occasion but more than likely will choose A more often. Pride and disappointment are far greater motivators than yes and no.

Sure we should... as soon as we can show that doubling the penalties for drug crimes within a certain range of schools has actually gotten the drugs out of our schools.

X10²³

Edited December 2, 2009 by Spook

[Msterbeau]

That would be pretty damn hypocritical since most school lunches I've seen in recent years consist almost entirely of carbs, fat, and salt. I am definitely in favor of banning soda and candy machines in schools... but having "fast food free" zones around schools is going a bit far, and as Jynxxxie points out, does nothing to address the basic problem. Not to mention that fast food "restaurants" are not the only source of unhealthy food... you can get greasy salty sandwiches & pizza at most party stores and gas stations nowadays.

Nope. That kind of thing is the first to go when the budgets get cut, and also when admins freak out because the school isn't making AYP so they decide to focus on nothing but "basic skills". The Michigan Model health curriculum does address nutrition but IMHO that's pretty pointless if you aren't telling people HOW to prepare decent food. There is also the fact that many low income families don't have regular access to fresh, non-processed food. I actually live in a "food desert", which means there is no source of fresh produce or meat within a 1-mile radius of my home. Not a big deal for me, but for someone without a car it means they get a fair amount of their food from party/convenience stores, which means paying more for less nutrition.

Some of the MSU Farming program land is probably within a mile of your place. My ex's brother in law is a prof. Always giving her fresh stuff (Control vegetables and fruits.. not the experimental stuff) Perhaps you could inquire about obtaining some... :-)

And yeah... People need to educate their children.

[Tyger]

I live right down the road from a high school, and right down the road from that is a Mc Donald's. Everyday at lunch, the walk on red lights and disrespect the people around, to get to that fast food joint. They FILL the place, it seems like the whole school goes there to eat. When I was in high school, there was no places to walk to, so I couldn't go out to eat. I do believe that fast food is a HUGE contributor to high school students and obesity. But I donno if they could ban them close to schools,

[darknight1]

with the constant advertising of fast food places, and the fact that there are addictive chemicals in the food that make you CRAVE their food, i'm surprised that people aren't actually bigger than what the facts are showing. we use to be active creatures, and now with everything basically handed to us, or conveniently located, we've grown lazy in more ways than one.

On that part you're wrong. Between the food companies (yes, all of them) and the pharmaceutical industry, there exists one hell of a vicious cycle. The food companies (this would include such corporations as Sugardale, Oscar Meyer, Ben & Jerry's, and god knows how many different companies) all knowingly infest everything we eat with who knows how many addictive chemicals and/or substances that make us sick. Mad Cow Disease, anyone? And the pharmaceutical industry manufactures only the stuff for the symptoms, not the cure. This is even seen within the fast food industry with their use of highly addictive chemicals in each and every item they produce. That is one simple reason why our nation is locked in this endless circle over health care "reform"...both the food industry, pharmaceutical industry, and health care insurance industry do not want to lose a profit for good by a cure being released into public hands. They'd rather just treat the symptoms.

[n0Mad]

While I'm not a huge fan of Marilyn Manson, that last post reminded me ...

A pill to make you numb

A pill to make you dumb

A pill to make you anybody else...

[Der Nister]

You can't legislate what is right, you can only educate.

Agree.

[The Anchormann]

I quit eating that stuff awhile back after a case of food poisoning

[pomba gira]

Some of the MSU Farming program land is probably within a mile of your place. My ex's brother in law is a prof. Always giving her fresh stuff (Control vegetables and fruits.. not the experimental stuff) Perhaps you could inquire about obtaining some... :-)

And yeah... People need to educate their children.

Only if they'll give me the experimental stuff. I want veggies that (a) taste like meat, and (b) prepare themselves. Wouldn't hurt if they sing kawaii little songs in the process, either.

[TygerLili]

Hey, at least they're walking...

I don't think it makes a big difference. A lot of older high school students have cars, so if they couldn't walk to fast food places, most likely, they could drive to them. A lot of Cafeteria food is not the healthiest thing in the world, either, or at least it wasn't when I was in school.

I agree with others who said more needs to be done to educate children and teens about what is and isn't healthy. When I was a kid I was told over and over that McDonalds' and the like were bad for me, but I was never told why, or what might happen if I ate too much of it. We need to do more in health class than just say "French fries are bad and salad is good," or "Running is good and watching TV is bad," which was about the extent of what I remember being taught in school on the subject.

[jynxxxedangel]

Only if they'll give me the experimental stuff. I want veggies that (a) taste like meat, and (b) prepare themselves. Wouldn't hurt if they sing kawaii little songs in the process, either.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDUVhLzC0Es

:rofl:

[Raev]

You can't legislate what is right, you can only educate.

I <3 you, in a manly-bro-no prison sex!-kind of way!

[Rayne]

Nope.

I don't believe we should remove anything ... perhaps educate children more about eating healthy both in and out of school.

I know when I went to school, our lunches were TOTALLY not healthy. My kids school though ... very balanced and nutritious (they go to a Charter School).

My oldest son - 7 - is ALL about eating healthy and will ask me which is more healthy when deciding to eat something.

[TitsMcGee]

At my high school, the nearest McDonalds was a 20 mile drive. We would walk a mile to the local party store for pizza when I was in school. Now there is a closed campus policy, no walking or driving off campus till school gets out, unless you have a parents permission. Perhaps schools just need to start doing that, and start making better foods.

Edited December 3, 2009 by TitsMcGee

[creatureofthenyte]

Stories like this really piss me off.

Kids wouldn't flock to the fast food joints if they're parents raised them properly; to make responsible choices for themselves.

What's next ? Are we going to be told what we can and can't eat ?

Regulating stuff like where restauraunts can be located, is just wrong.

It doesn't matter, persay, what kind of food you eat, if you don't lead a physically active life; i.e: sittin on the couch doing nothing, then you will get fat due to inactivity.

Restaurant owners should not be held responsible for the poor food choices and or behavior of their patrons. Adults should be able to decide for themselves what to eat, and parents should influence their kids' choices where they can.

[n0Mad]

Stories like this really piss me off.... What's next ? Are we going to be told what we can and can't eat?

Yes. First they ban smoking in most public places. For our health of course. Now they ban flavored cigarettes. For our health of course. They're discussing banning fast food restaurants near schools. For our health of course. It is a slippery slope. Soon, they will be telling us what we can and cannot eat. Actually, it's already started ...

Regulating stuff like where restauraunts can be located, is just wrong.... Restaurant owners should not be held responsible for the poor food choices and or behavior of their patrons. Adults should be able to decide for themselves what to eat

Really? Because trans fat is banned from restaurants. I agreed with the legislation which stated that restaurants must disclose the ingredients and let the patrons decide. But apparently that wasn't good enough. They had to go and ban trans fat outright. For our health of course.