The Student Newspaper of Westminster Christian Academy

The Wildcat Roar

The Student Newspaper of Westminster Christian Academy

The Wildcat Roar

The Student Newspaper of Westminster Christian Academy

The Wildcat Roar

Cafeteria Goes Green… Yellow and Red

You may have noticed something different in the cafeteria over the past few days. A little more color in the menus and some smarter choices available when you journey through the line. This is all due to a new plan to help the student body be healthier. This program called “Healthy is Food for Me, Healthy is Good for Me” implements a simple traffic light color system to help students expand their dietary knowledge.
The food classifying system is based on amounts of fat, sodium, and sugar in the foods. All of these things are god in moderation; however they become dangerous when consumed in excess. The menus in the lunch line will have red stickers next to items with a high amount of these components. If an item does not have high level of these things it will be identified with a yellow sticker. This implies that the food is fine to eat, but it would be wise to limit the consumption. When a menu item has a green sticker by it, it basically means “dig in!”
The first thing a health-conscioius student will look for as they walk through the cafeteria would be green items. These are great for anyone to enjoy as much as they want. The next thing to keep your eye out for is an item with a yellow sticker. These make a smart choice as long as they are not devoured without a thought. When you see a red sticker it should act like a stop sign, or at least a stop and think sign. Think about your dietary habits and how much exercise you are getting before plunging into fries and a hamburger.
This is important because child obesity is a huge issue for Americans. Between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents are obese. It is responsible for over 300,000 deaths every single year. America spends $100 billion to help cure obesity. The new school program is a good first step to help solve this crisis, but that is not all kids should do to deal with weight issues. Lack of exercise, family history of obesity, and overeating are also pivotal factors.
Food Service Consultants Inc. (the group that spearheaded this new traffic light sticker system) is not the only group to try and deal with obesity. Organizations like NFL Play 60, which encourages children to get out and exercise for at least sixty minutes a day, and the show “The Biggest Loser” inspire kids and teens to exercise and control their diet to stop the spread of adolescent obesity.
While some students are very excited about the new program, others are skeptic about how this new program will be received.
“I think it’s wise, however I think most people won’t really care. It will be helpful for the people who worry about their weight, but most kids will continue to eat the same way.”
However, for every cynical student there is an excited one.
“I think this is really smart. Kids will have a new perspective on what they’re eating besides just taste.”

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Cafeteria Goes Green… Yellow and Red