As you enter the chaotic cafeteria, you observe the ravenous students impatiently waiting 10 minutes to receive their school lunches, taking your spot behind them. From soggy sandwiches to processed pizza to unpleasant nacho concoctions, there is a reason why you and countless other students opt to stand in such a lengthy line — the food tastes “good.”
But little do they know that the processed foods these students deem “good” and purchase daily jeopardize their future health and ability to function. The foundation of society’s health predicaments resorts back to one common catalyst: school lunches.
Within Cherry Hill High School East, students continuously purchase overpriced and unhealthy foods, unaware of the harmful consequences they inflict upon themselves in the future. As a result, it is of the utmost importance that school districts, schools and families grow increasingly aware of the detrimental outcomes that result from poor dietary habits.
Recently, studies have shown a dramatic increase in unhealthy food exposure in schools. As a result of foods higher in saturated fats, cholesterol, sodium, sugar and carbohydrates being served to students, a nearly 30% increase of students have been diagnosed with obesity. Correspondingly, approximately 80% of students who consume junk food regularly develop obesity, diabetes or even suffer from a stroke.
As the percentage of junk food consumed in schools continues to increase, the health risk raises serious attention. The significant effects of eating processed foods can also result in poor academic and athletic performances; expert nutritionists have observed the development of kidney problems, brain dysfunction, short and long-term memory loss as well as an earlier chance of death. “Findings indicate that fast food consumption is linked with harmful developmental outcomes in children beyond obesity,” wrote Kelly Purtell, an expert in child development.
By consuming more nutritious school meals, students can enhance their immunity, bone strength as well as their overall ability to function and perform. Through easier and affordable access to a nutritional school lunch plan, the health hardships previously described will occur far less frequently.
According to Dr. Anne Gordon, a pediatrician with Cooper University Healthcare, individuals must become more aware of the content within the foods they are consuming to maintain healthy eating habits.
“If people only realized the long-term outcomes that could develop [due to poor dietary habits], they may be more focused on eating healthier earlier in their lives when there is still the chance to prevent long-term damage to their bodies,” said Gordon.
Dr. Gordon proceeds to describe how “processed foods are extremely high in salt and generally do not focus on providing macronutrients of high [nutritional] value, like proteins and unsaturated fats. These foods of better nutritional value are usually more [expensive]…so public services tend to lack funding to be able to provide these higher [quality] products.”
Additionally, Dr. Gerado Varallo, a nephrologist for Jefferson Health who specializes in caring for a patient’s kidneys, has witnessed numerous incidents where patients develop extremely harmful diseases due to a lack of awareness of their daily actions and poor dietary habits.
“Diets are very high in salt, cholesterol and sugar, contributing to developing [diseases]…which ultimately leads to an increase in kidney disease later on in life,” said Dr. Varallo, while providing insight regarding the need to maintain a diet consisting of high nutritional value. He proceeds to advocate for an alteration in school lunches, saying that “poor diets are major contributors to serious diseases…if only major industries like schools would acknowledge this…schools may be able to prohibit the long-term impacts [that emerge] and prevent severe damage to students’ bodies.”
Similarly, a portion of East student who are aware of these health detriments are reluctant to purchase school lunches and, instead, feel forced to pack their meals — which are more inconvenient and expensive.
“It’s unacceptable for schools to serve these [unhealthy] lunches and influence me to bring in my own by buying overpriced ingredients from stores,” said Benjamin Sautter (‘26).
Overall, making this change in our school system would allow students and schools to benefit greatly; students should view schools and employees within these buildings as role models. School districts and those well-informed regarding this issue need to encourage well-balanced diets and teach students about the importance of making healthier decisions.
So, the next time you wait in the cafeteria lunch line to purchase processed foods lacking nutritional value, think: Is this lunch beneficial for sustaining a healthy body? How can I educate others about this unhealthy school dilemma? How can I advocate for the school to revamp its current lunch plan and implement a healthy and affordable system for all? While this process may appear difficult, together we can inspire enacting a positive change toward a healthier future for students.