Thematic Essay Vending Machines

Many American children are eating unhealthy breakfasts and lunches. Numerous schools are now trying to stop this by banning vending machines. Snack machines shouldn’t be in school hallways because of obesity, fiscal irresponsibility, and an unbalanced diet.

First of all, it is not possible for adolescents to be healthy when all they eat is junk. All the fat and sugar being consumed leads to tremendous weight gain. The rate of childhood obesity has escalated alarmingly in recent times. A study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that twenty years ago, teens were almost three times less likely to be overweight than they are now! Much of this excess weight is from an overindulgent diet of fatty snacks. Since most of a child’s day is spent in school, eating unhealthy food there really affects their health. A survey by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service shares an overwhelming percentage of schools that offer the option of vending machines. Because so many students are given the opportunity to buy snack food at any time of day, that is what most of them will be eating. Therefore, the removal of vending machines will result in a healthier, skinnier population.

Furthermore, vending machines should be eliminated due to the fiscal irresponsibility that is being taught to students. Robert E. Meeks, the legislative director for the Minnesota School Board Association, says that schools earn nearly forty million dollars annually from these snack machines. That means that students spend an enormous amount of money on snack foods in school. Much of the money spent on this junk is totally wasted and could have been spent in a much wiser way. However, the waste of money while in schools is not even the worst part for these children! Lawmakers describe the ultimate outcome of kids who spend abundantly on snack food. They explain how this irresponsible behavior of indulging in bad foods will lead to weight gain, which can ultimately lead to even worse diseases as an adult, such as diabetes. They will then need a great sum of money for medical treatment. In short, an excess of spending on snacks will lead to a cycle of continued money loss.

Finally, students are not receiving a balanced diet. “Plenty of kids make their breakfast from Mountain Dew and a bag of Doritos!” complains Nell a high school senior. If they are not obtaining the nutrition needed for their minds to function, students cannot learn properly. A former teacher, Paul G. Pinsky describes how hard it was to teach his hyper pupils, “After the sugar high wore off, and they were finished bouncing off the walls, my students’ heads would fall on the desk.” Thus, children should not be allowed to freely purchase sugary snacks, as it will be detrimental to their learning ability.

As discussed above, vending machines are very harmful. They lead to obesity, fiscal irresponsibility, and children with unbalanced diets. Therefore, they should be banned.