Final Draft WP3

Valdez 1
Nadia Valentina Valdez Saravia
Professor Jon Leach
EG101-L
November 11, 2022
Obesity in students of the United States
We live in a society where obesity has become a common situation, especially in
countries like the United States. Obesity in the United States is alarming, especially when it
comes to the young population. The article “How to fix the obesity crisis” explains that
“[obesity] has many factors contribute to the problem. It is partly environment” (Freedman).
When Americans are in their student days, both school and university, it is common for students
to eat in the cafeterias of their respective institutions. However, cafeteria food is one factor that
can cause obesity in students.
Obesity could negatively affect students: emotionally, academically, and especially in
their health. The article “The Role of Schools in Obesity Prevention” says that “The evidence
that childhood obesity affects school performance is limited (…). Poor nutritional status and
hunger interfere with cognitive functions and are associated with lower academic achievement”
(Story, Mary, et al). It is important to know how food can affect the development of children in
different ways as academically or in their health.
Cafeteria food should be healthy and rich in nutrients. Instead of giving soda or synthetic
juices, people in charge of the cafeteria food could change to boiled juice, tea, or water. The food
should be more balanced with correct portions depending on the necessities of students. The
ingredients that are used for cooking should be healthy, which means cafeterias should use
ingredients with little calories, sodium, and total sugars. During an investigation of
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Schanzenbach, in her article “Do school Lunches contribute to Childhood Obesity?”, find that
kids that eat in their school cafeterias, eat 40 calories more every day (Schanzenbach). However,
Schanzenbach mentioned that public schools are usually part of the Agricultural program of the
government of The United States. The mission of this program is to end hunger, even if it means
having to provide unhealthy food for students. But what is the point to end hunger if people,
especially students, consume unhealthy food?
During the last few years, many people decide to investigate how obesity affects students.
Robert Crosnoe, in his book "Gender, Obesity, and Education", makes a study about students
with obesity enrolling in colleges and how affects them. A similar study “Do school Lunches
contribute to Childhood Obesity?” by Schanzenbach, uses as a reference the grades of students.
Both studies have a similar conclusion, obesity is a determinate factor in the development of
students. Nevertheless, behind students’ obesity are different reasons as cafeteria food has more
calories affecting in a long time to students in ways as emotional as academic.
If schools change the food in school cafeterias, students would be less prone to obesity,
and they would have better health. The emotions can be reflected in their studies, and in that
way, they could have a better academic life and even be motivated to go to college. Also, other
factors can contribute to Students having a better lifestyle, as the article “How to fix the obesity
crisis”, there are four steps that students can also implement in their lives; one of those is
“Behavior Shifts: many people find it easier to make small changes- such as taking stairs instead
elevator” (Freedman 2011).
To demonstrate how obesity affect to students it could be measured by body mass index
(BMI), calories in the food of cafeterias and the grades of students and follow experiments as the
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experiment of Crosnoe and the experiment of Schanzenbach. Probably to demonstrate it could
take one year or two years.
Demonstrate how the obesity affects to students it is important. With the results, the
programs of the government that give the food and cafeterias of universities and schools could
improve the quality of their ingredients, having a nutritious and healthy food. Also, students will
be able to improve their grades and demonstrate that obesity have an impact in their lives.
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References
Story, Mary, et al. "The Role of Schools in Obesity Prevention." The Future of Children 16.1
(2006): 109-142. JSTOR. Web. 10 Nov 2022.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/3556553
Schanzenbach, Diane W. "Do School Lunches Contribute to Childhood Obesity?" The Journal
of Human Resources 44.3 (2009): 684-709. JSTOR. Web. 10 Nov 2022.
Freedman, David H. "How to fix the obesity crisis." Scientific American 304.2 (2011): 40-
47. JSTOR. Web. 10 Nov 2022.
Crosnoe, Robert. "Gender, Obesity, and Education" Sociology of Education 80.3 (2007): 241-
260. JSTOR. Web. 10 Nov 2022.

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Valdez 1

Nadia Valentina Valdez Saravia

Professor Jon Leach

November 11, 2022

Obesity in students of the United States

We live in a society where obesity has become a common situation, especially in

can cause obesity in students.

Obesity could negatively affect students: emotionally, academically, and especially in

different ways as academically or in their health.

especially students, consume unhealthy food?

contribute to Childhood Obesity?” by Schanzenbach, uses as a reference the grades of students.

calories affecting in a long time to students in ways as emotional as academic.

elevator” (Freedman 2011).

experiment of Crosnoe and the experiment of Schanzenbach. Probably to demonstrate it could

take one year or two years.

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