Banning sugary or unhealthy foods for children?

Discuss the March 2016 Eating Bull by Carrie Rubin.

(Note, Carrie Rubin's previous book The Seneca Scourge was book of the month in December 2012. :) )
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photomom312
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Re: Banning sugary or unhealthy foods for children?

Post by photomom312 »

I feel that this comes down parental education and access to healthy and affordable alternatives. It is ultimately the parents responsibility to monitor what their children eat or drink. However, there are many places, especially in the cities where grocery stores with fresh produce are very limited. Also, there is the price difference between junk food and fresh fruit needs to be considered. We would all like to eat only all natural, gmo free, organic foods but that is very cost prohibitive especially for families. So a ban would not do any good unless the other underlying issues were adressed too.
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Post by Raven Potter »

No. Whether they will kill me or not, I need sugary foods. Why live, if you cannot live happy? Without candy and ice cream and cakes and cookies we could never truly be happy :P Why take that joy away from our children? They need candy. And their dentists need money ??
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Post by bluemel4 »

JanaeiAlexandria wrote:I think that if children are taught good eating habits at home as well as at school there is no need to ban unhealthy or sugary foods. Banning anything tends to make it that more intensing, teaching moderation is key. Children mimic what their parents and role models do. So when we practice good eating habits, they do as well.
I agree that banning sugary or unhealthy foods would make them more alluring. The problem seems bigger than the availability of junk food. An interesting point made in the book was about locations that are considered food deserts. I have heard of this term before and I find it upsetting. How are parents supposed to model healthy eating habits when their neighborhood does not offer a grocery store with fresh fruit and vegetables, let alone anything organic or unprocessed?

As others have mentioned, I believe that education about food choices needs to be made a priority. I know in other countries the schools have children help in the preparation of their lunches and use that time to educate about healthy eating. It has helped children understand how to make healthier food at home and that what they eat effects their bodies.
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Post by Mrs Bee »

Should it really take action at the state or federal level to teach our children moderation and self-control? Yes, I agree that sugar is absolutely an addictive substance, but is completely safe and enjoyable for children in moderation. We cannot say the same for other substances such as nicotine, for example. The root of this issue is that our culture has shaped a generation that is unfamiliar with the word "no." Children are taught self-acceptance and living a balanced life, but at the same time claim the mantras "YOLO" and "you do you." The basic virtue of self-control is completely lost, and our children are facing more than just obesity.
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Post by Booky_BettyC »

I don't think they should be banned from children. I honestly think, in some degree, it's a good thing to have things in life in arms reach so they can have learning experiences on impulse control and will power. Education is the biggest part of healthy eating. That being said, I also think sugar and unhealthy foods should be monitored by an adult for an every now and then treat.
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Post by TrishaAnn92 »

I doubt a ban would ever happen with there being no way to actually enforce it. Not to mention junk food is less expensive than the good whole foods we all should be eating. Schools should cut out the sugary, unhealthy foods that they offer and parents should enforce healthy eating habits but at the same tike unhealthy, processed foods shouldn't be less expensive than buying whole healthy foods. ( I speak from experience on that).
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Post by SharisseEM »

I don't think banning would do much. If anything, it'll just make people angry and more desperate. Take cigarettes for example. Prices are increased but people are still buying it because they're addicted. Instead of banning, we should encourage children to eat healthier and to only eat sugar and other junk in moderation. It's much easier to do so since they're still young.
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Post by MatthewAlexander »

I would say no, I don't think sugary foods should be banned for children. My reasoning is this: banning alcohol and cigarettes for children doesn't stop many of them from growing up and drinking or smoking. (Not that I think we should start giving beers to babies, I'm only saying it isn't a preventative once the children reach the legal age of using...or even before the legal age.) Once they were older, these children would probably still eat sugary foods. I think the solution to the obesity problem is teaching moderation, not only to children but to the adults overeat unhealthy foods and who therefore allow their children to as well.
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Post by abithacker »

While the banning of sugary foods might seem like a simple solution, this could have many negative effects. Though sugary food may be dangerous to one's health, banning it all together would be stepping on too many toes, especially the parents' if it is banned for children. I don't believe that people's rights to spend their money on the food they desire should be taken away, but I also believe that if parents have the freedom to buy whatever food they want for their kids, they should be held to a standard that expects them to provide safe and healthy food to the best of their ability for their children. Place the responsibility and the buying power on the parents, not the food companies.
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Post by MotherTheresa »

Banning is a bit too strong. I don't think it would fix the problem either. Parents need to be educated, but even then many parents will still find it hard to male the roght decisions. It comes down to using self-control and that is something many people are not willing to do!
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Post by anu_gour »

Certain unhealthy foods should definitely be banned for children as these foods would spoil their health and make them get numerous diseases

-- 07 Apr 2016, 02:01 --

Actually on second thoughts, I think banning sugary or unhealthy foods for children would not do any good as children have a mindset that whatever is prohibited to them,they would want that very same thing.

According to me,parents should upbring their children in such a way that they would know what is good or wrong for them.
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Post by Yana-Nav »

I don't quite believe that sugar should be banned from children. I would say that there should be regulations about the consumptions of the amount of sugar a child takes in. I believe that sugars should especially be regulated for children because they have no true idea yet what the sugars can do, and the serious dangers behind them. I feel that regulating the sugars is only fair, a kid should still be aloud to have some sugar in their diet, but not have their diet be sugar. Also, I feel like unhealthy foods like: candy bars, chips, and soda, Should be something that is more heavily regulated, or even have stricter measurements of the amount of sugar that these unhealthy foods can contain. I feel regulating the sugars is what is better compared to banning sugars all around because we "naturally" have sugars in our diets; certain fruits contain sugars naturally.
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Post by Mune »

I can't agree with the idea of banning sugary foods due to the fluctuation on people's ideas of what is considered sugary or unhealthy. Candy and sodas are something already usually regulated in most schools, and this I can agree with. Special occasions or on the teacher's discretion (limited events), I believe treats should be allowed. I know the schools where I grew up removed soda machines and candy machines, which made sense, but still had the quarterly events for certain groups or clubs in which these were allowed. With this being said, the increase in allergies makes most of these items and occasions no longer allowed anyways.

The reason I see problems with what is determined as sugary or unhealthy is my experience with parents that are against the majority of fruits or of foods with any sugar content. Because one person may consider apples or bread as a sugary item, it could lead to disagreements. I think this is not such a huge issue, as the majority of people would rather their child have an apple than a bag of m&ms.

As for a banning on such things, I think that it is a difficult lock to put on anything. Because some people have lower incomes, their foods will contain unnecessary amounts of sugar or be unhealthy with oil or salt and such. There is also those that would take this to an extreme point. Students getting in trouble in class for a piece of gum or a sweet snack in their lunch bag shouldn't be punished for such, and they would be in order to be fair. For the most part, the extent of removal should be with what the school has in machines or sells on property. It is up to the parent and/or guardian to decide if their child has these things for themselves.
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Post by Brittster »

I am not sure that they should be banned all together. Parents need to take on their responsibility to make sure their children and being cared for properly, including what they eat and how much they eat. It seems like so many families these days let their children do whatever they want and don't actually monitor or care about how what they are allowing their children to do is seriously affecting them long-term.

Thank you to all the parents who work hard and take the time to notice what is going on in their kids' lives and have the nerve to say "No" when it is best for the child! Your making the world a better place.
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Post by Lara1412 »

I don't think that banning sugar from kids would end up as a good idea. It would just make kids do it secretly or binge on it once when they get their hands on it. I think that parents should decided and restrict their childs intake of sugar and unhealthy foods. And also I think that schools should have healthy options for kids to choose from.
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