| Here's some research parents will want to hear | | | | sugar-sweetened drinks daily (19% vs. 6.8%). |
| about... more than one in three middle schoolers | | | | - Were less likely to eat at least two servings of |
| who eat off the school lunch menu are | | | | fruits (32.6% vs. 49.4%) or vegetables (39.9% |
| overweight obese children, and are also more | | | | vs. 50.3%) a day. |
| likely to have high bad cholesterol levels than kids | | | | What's more, the kids who ate school lunch were |
| who bring a lunch from home. | | | | less likely to take part in activities like basketball, |
| It seems that efforts to make healthier choices a | | | | or team sports than the kids who ate lunches |
| part of school lunch menus still have a good way | | | | from home. |
| to go. Earlier research in this area has examined | | | | School lunch eaters also spent more time |
| the nutritional content of school lunches; this is the | | | | watching TV, playing video games and being on |
| first effort to assess the impact of those lunches | | | | the computer after school. |
| on kid's eating habits (and overall health as well). | | | | So should the parents of the estimated 30.6 |
| With skyrocketing rates of childhood obesity, | | | | million U.S. students who eat school lunch start |
| many experts are worried about young people | | | | packing one from home? |
| setting themselves up for future health problems | | | | As any parent of an independent-minded middle |
| before they're able to understand the | | | | schooler can attest, packing the nutritious foods is |
| consequences. | | | | no guarantee they won't be traded or tossed |
| The research involved 1,076 Michigan area middle | | | | aside in favor of choices from vending machines |
| school students who answered questionnaires that | | | | or the local store. It's better to work with your |
| covered what they ate, how active they were, | | | | school to make lunches healthier -with less salt |
| and the number of hours they did things like | | | | and fat, and more fiber. |
| watching TV, playing video games and spending | | | | Rather surprising that only 6% of school lunch |
| time on the computer each day. | | | | menus currently meet the requirements |
| The researchers also collected data on student | | | | established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. |
| weight, height, blood glucose and cholesterol levels. | | | | To help your own kids, be sure to offer healthy |
| The subjects were then divided into three groups, | | | | food choices at home. And don't forget the |
| depending on whether they said they always or | | | | exercise. This can be something as simple as |
| almost always ate school lunch, always or almost | | | | walking to school or helping out with chores |
| always brought a lunch from home, or did either | | | | around the house. |
| one or the other. | | | | You'll also want to remember that eating patterns |
| The kids who ate school lunch... | | | | are especially important during the middle school |
| - Were more likely to be overweight or obese | | | | years when kids start to get more independent. |
| (38.2% vs. 24.7%) and had higher levels of bad | | | | The choices they make during this time will shape |
| cholesterol. | | | | their eating and exercising habits as they get |
| - Were more likely to eat two or more servings | | | | older. Now's your chance to help ensure those |
| of fatty meats, fried chicken or hot dogs, each | | | | choices are healthy ones whether they eat from |
| day - 6.2% vs. 1.6%. | | | | school lunch menu of bring food in from home. |
| - Were more likely to have two or more | | | | |