Here at John I. Burton High School, many students have a rather unhealthy diet. Often, students will eat chips or drink sodas, which can be full of fats and sugars. Most students get these items from the vending machines, but some bring them from home. Although the school has tried to make the vending machines healthier they still have a lot of sugary and fatty foods in them. Many students will eat these items around lunch time because they dislike the regular school lunch provided during the day.
Zachary Fleenor, who is learning to be a health/physical education teacher, says that the worst time of the day to eat junk food is around 6:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.. Mr. Fleenor has noticed that the teachers do not usually get items from the vending machines. He has also noticed that students seem to buy items from the vending machines whenever they can find some money. He says that the items in the school's vending machines are unhealthy and could be replaced with much better alternatives such as Nutri-Grain Bars.
Consuming junk food and soda in abundance can result in diabetes, obesity, and tooth decay. The obesity that can occur from eating poorly can result in heart attacks, heart disease, or other related risks. Diabetes which can be caused by poor diet is permanent and requires many painful injections and blood tests. The tooth decay that may result from not eating well also lasts for life as people only have one set of adult teeth. All in all, students should take care of their bodies by eating healthy and staying in shape. Students can do so by reducing the amount of junk that they eat and by getting around 30 minutes to an hour of exercise a day
Written By: Dustin Pilkenton