Childhood Obesity in America: Role of Sugary Drinks & Vending Machines

There is a dramatic increase in the number of children who are being affected by diabetes and obesity in America. To help stop this trend, sugary drinks and unhealthy snacks should be taken out of the vending machines in schools and replaced with healthier choices. Some may argue that taking out the options it is taking away a student's right to choose what they will and will not eat. However, by taking out the sugary drinks good habits are encouraged, future diseases are avoided and a healthier generation is brought up.

Dr. Margo Wooton from the "Center for Science and Public Interest" conducted a study in 2004 in which she researched how many vending machines on average are in American schools, as well as what was in them. In the United States, 75 percent of all Junior high schools and 98 percent of all Senior high schools have vending machines. Within those vending machines 75 percent of all beverage and 85 percent of snacks are of poor nutritional quality.

Get quality help now

KarrieWrites

Verified writer

Proficient in: Childhood Obesity

5 (339)

“ KarrieWrites did such a phenomenal job on this assignment! He completed it prior to its deadline and was thorough and informative. ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

The average number of vending machines per high school was eight. Some high schools have only one vending machine, while others have as many as 22 vending machines (Wooton 1). The USDA has put out strict regulations on school lunches in order to properly regulate what children are eating. The regulations include the following, "no more than 30 percent of an individual's calories come from fat, and less than 10 percent from saturated fat. Regulations also establish a standard for school meals to provide one-third of the Recommended Daily Allowances of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium, and calories” (education).

Despite strict regulations, schools are putting vending machines throughout the building.

This offers students as much soda, candy and cookies as they desire. After the lunch break the "regulated" amount of calories and fats has been exceeded if a child decides to consume more food at a vending machine. Dr. Wooton found in 9,723 total snack slots, only 26 slots contained a fruit or vegetable. The rest are filled with candy, chips and sweet baked goods. Only seven percent of the vending machines are filled with fruit juices, while the remaining slots are packed full of soda and artificial fruit juices (Wooton 4). When in high school I noticed this very similar trend. It was my senior year and I decided I wanted to lose a little weight for my senior pictures. As I was studying for a final my stomach started to growl. So loudly that looks of disgust were being thrown my way. Lunch was not for another two hours, so I decided to visit the vending machine to see if I could get anything to satisfy my starving stomach. As I stood in front of the vending machine I quickly realized my stomach's plea for food would not be silenced. My options were limited to chips, doughnuts, cookies or sugary gum. I turned to the drinks, maybe there was a V8? All I found was soda, Sobe, energy drinks and artificial fruit juices.

I was out of luck. Situations similar to mine are present in schools across the country. Vending machines can be a benefit to those who are hungry or simply do not get enough to eat during lunch. However, the choices are high in carbohydrates and calories and ultimately will not satisfy anyone's hunger, only a sweet tooth. In vending machines roughly 36 percent of all of the slots hold soda. Soda is high in calories, sugars and causes major medical issues. Soda contains extremely high amounts of caffeine. In fact soda is the primary source of caffeine intake for children and teenagers.

When caffeine is consumed blood pressure and heart rate spike and cardiac output plummet (Brown, Dulloo, Montani 4). In the United States 48 percent of American's drinks 2.8 cans of soda a day (Bedard). Based on a 2,000 calorie diet after 2.8 cans of soda there would only be 1500 calories for the entire day. In addition to containing high calories, soda contains more than the recommended amount of sugar for an entire day. In a 12 ounce can of soda, 39 grams of sugar can be found (Sugar Stacks). According to the American Heart Association it is recommended men consume 36 grams of sugar daily, while women only consume 29 grams of sugar daily (Rose). It is no wonder America is gaining weight. Just by drinking a can of soda they have already exceeded the amount of sugar suggested for the daily allowance. There are many other types of sugary drinks that are waiting to be purchased in vending machines. Energy drinks contain more sugar than soda. No wonder they are called energy drinks.

Sugar can only give a person a jolt of energy for a short amount of time, however because it is burned quickly the "sugar high” fades just as rapidly as it began. The energy drink Rockstar contains 31 grams (g) of sugar per 8 oz. Red Bull has 27 g of sugar per 8 ounces (oz). It may not be a surprise that energy drinks contain so much sugar. However, what is really surprising is the amount of sugar in the drinks that claim are “healthier" alternatives than soda. Based on 8 oz. Sobe contains 29 g of sugar and Minute Maid lemonade contains 27 g. (Sugar Stacks).

Most of these "healthier" drinks exceed the amount of recommended grams of sugar as well as the amount of sugar contained in energy drinks. Sugary drinks can be detrimental to an individual's health. Studies have shown that sugary drinks cause weight gain, diabetes, heart disease and gout. Several may argue that removing "sugary drinks” the extra money needed to fund athletics, new technology and keep the library up to date will not be made. "Half a dozen kids from California, Maine, Minnesota and Pennsylvania wondered the same thing. They decided to replace the drinks that are currently in their vending machines with 100 percent all natural fruit juices and water. They earned about the same amount of money as they did with the unhealthy beverages" (Jacobson 2). Sugary drinks are not the only problem. Vending machines are packed with foods that are high in sugar, carbohydrates, and calories. Studies show "More than 90,000 tons of junk food are being sold in American schools every year, that is more than the weight of an aircraft carrier" (Staff). When students approach the vending machine they have limited options. These options may include chips, baked good and candy.

In fact recent studies have shown "the snack items most commonly available are: candy (42 percent), chips (25 percent), and sweet baked goods (13 percent). Together these snacks accounted for 80 percent of snacks available in school vending machines (Wooton 4). Many reason that by taking the snacks out of the vending machines that children will then over compensate for them at home. Recently professors from Yale University conducted a study involving three schools in Connecticut. They removed all of the "sweet treats" from the vending machines and then monitored the students to see if they would compensate for the loss somewhere else. They found despite the healthier choices in the vending machines students did not eat more at school or home regardless (Viadero 1). While I am not suggesting a can of soda or a candy bar every so often is bad, if not consumed in moderation diseases occur. Obesity, especially in children, is growing at an alarming rate.

Today 1 in 3 children are considered obese or over weight (Health). In Utah over one in five elementary school students are obese. When children start their lives by eating junk food it is more than likely they will continue throughout adulthood. This causes an increase in the severity of the disease as well as the amount of diseases one can get from becoming obese (Disease Control and Prevention). There are several causes for obesity. Eating large amounts of sugar leads to obesity. Dr. Kosten described sugar as the following. "Sugar is our body's fuel. We actually need some of it. We just have way too much of it. When you get too much of it, our body stores the extra as fat" (Kosten). Obesity is accompanied by several complications. A few common complications include the following, risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes type II, cancer, hardening of the arteries, heart attack and stroke (Macnair). More complications accompanied by obesity are, greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem (Disease Control and Prevention). "Research has shown that chronic consumption of added sugar dulls the brain's mechanism for telling you to stop eating. It does so by reducing activity in the brain's anorexigenic oxytocin system, which is responsible for throwing up the red “full” flag that prevents you from gorging" (DiSalvo).

When sugar prevents the "full" flag from going up, people are more likely to eat more and more. With so many sugary options available to students in the vending machines, they cannot help but chose the sugary items. Consuming large amounts calories and carbohydrates can also lead to Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes is a growing concern and will only continue if something is not done about it. Diabetes Mellitus is one of the top ten most common causes of death in the United States (Publications International).

There are three types of diabetes that are known today. Type I diabetes is generally diagnosed in youth. Type I diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease that is primarily caused by selective destruction of islet beta cells of the endocrine pancreas by auto interactive T cells (McCartney, 2011). Type I is also a genetic disorder that can be passed down from generation to generation. It occurs due to a lack of insulin being produced in the pancreas. Without enough insulin, glucose builds up in the bloodstream instead of going into the cells.

The body is unable to use this glucose for energy (Pub med). The absence of insulin is life- threatening. Some of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes are extreme thirst, feeling hungry, tired or fatigued, having blurry eyesight, losing the feeling or feeling tingling in your feet and losing weight unintentionally (Pub med). Contrary to what people may think type I diabetes may not be prevented. Many believe that like type I diabetes, type II is unpreventable. This is not the case. Eating unhealthy is not a "genetic" disorder. When individuals consume large amounts of calories, carbohydrates and anything else into their body there is a risk of developing type II diabetes. When an individual has type II diabetes, their fat, liver, and muscle cells do not respond correctly to insulin.

This is called insulin resistance. As a result, blood sugar does not get into these cells to be stored for energy (Pub Med). Symptoms for type II include bladder, kidney, skin, or other infections that are more frequent or heal slowly, fatigue, hunger, increased thirst and urination (Pub Med). Food choices for students should be monitored in order to help them to maintain health and avoid developing diabetes. Adults can influence what is going into the vending machines at their child's school. How? One way would be to educate their children at home about the benefits of eating healthy foods. Having healthy snack choices within a child's reach is a good option. Educating children while they are young can influence what they eat when they are older. Another way to educate children is to hold family dinners together. Studies suggest that family dinners and other meals have a positive influence on dietary quality during childhood and adolescence" (Woodruff, McGoldrick, Brown, Hanning).

Having family dinners allows parents to make healthy and delicious food choices for their children to eat. Parents can also limit the amount of time they spend eating as fast food and take out places. Eating at these establishments frequently can set a bad example for younger children especially. Parents should also petition schools to take vending machines out. Unfortunately, the likelihood of vending machines being taken out completely is unlikely. Another option would be to simply improve the quality and well as nutrition of the foods that are in the vending machines. Soda, energy drinks and sugary juices should be removed. Water, 100 percent all natural fruit juices and milk should be put into the vending machines. "Not only is water calorie-free, but drinking it teaches kids to accept a low-flavor, no- sugar beverage as a thirst-quencher" (Kids Health). Kids Health also suggests that milk become a part of a child's everyday life.

Healthy snacks should fill the slots that are currently occupying candy bars and cookies. Granola bars, baked chips, pretzels, string cheese, trail mix and other healthier choices would be appropriate. America is facing an epidemic. The abundance of unhealthy food items in schools, particularly vending machines, are contributing to the rise in obesity and diabetes. The presence of vending machines in schools is contributing to unhealthy habits especially in children and adolescence. Obesity and diabetes cause major medical problems that can lead to heart problems, kidney failure and even death. Parents need to step up and demand a change in the foods that are offered to their children on a daily basis. With the help of parents forming good habits at home and school placing healthier options in vending machines students may have a desire to eat healthier. By eating healthier, students will set habits that could help decrease the number of children faces obesity, diabetes and any other disease brought on by no eating healthy.