A Healthy Childhood Starts With Fruits and Vegetables

Description

On average, children from low socioeconomic backgrounds tend to eat around half of their fruit and vegetable intake from the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). If it weren’t for this national program, the majority of these children would not come

On average, children from low socioeconomic backgrounds tend to eat around half of their fruit and vegetable intake from the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). If it weren’t for this national program, the majority of these children would not come close to achieving the recommended intake for fruits and vegetables (FV), which can be defined as one to two cups of fruits daily and one to three cups of vegetables daily. The reasons for such a statement are puzzling; the prices for FV have stayed relatively the same over time. In addition, the increase in frozen and canned FV are not only relatively inexpensive, but their packaging helps increase the lifespan of the product. Why then are children, especially in families from low socioeconomic settings, not meeting these daily requirements? After reading many articles, I have concluded that one of the main factors is finance. It can be costly, in terms of time as well as financially, to buy fresh products and take time out of the day to prepare a meal, especially when fast-food restaurants can provide a cheap and satisfying meal in a fraction of the time. Another factor influencing the lack of FV consumption in children is time; many parents have long work hours and perhaps do not have enough time in their day to prepare complex and nutritious meals. Lastly, another factor that must be considered is the possibility of living in a food desert: an area in which there is limited access to nutritious foods within half a mile walking distance. It is because of these reasons that I would like to discuss different ways to help children reach the recommended daily value for FV intake in more detail.

Date Created
2021-12
Agent