A plan must be judged on its results, not its goals.
The West Virginia Department of Education has received more than $300,000 in grants to alleviate childhood obesity and promote physical activity among schoolchildren, the Associated Press reported this week.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, grants will be used to provide training and technical assistance to school food service staff in making school meals healthier, including incorporating more fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. The grants also will be used to teach children to make healthy food and lifestyle choices.
OK. We love the goals outlined for the use of the grant money. Eastern Panhandle parents want healthier, happier children. Our question: Is this really the best use of federal tax dollars and the best way to alleviate childhood obesity?
In the year 2011, after all of the healthy lifestyles education programs the government has required and funded, are school lunches really playing a role in making kids obese? Do we really think it's the carrot sticks, pizza and milk that's to blame?
Most kids only eat once during the school day. Those lunches aren't putting on the pounds. In fact, we would be better off making school lunch a little more tasty so that more children would eat the hot lunch.
Ironically, the AP also reported this week that cooks in the Kanawha County school system are already complaining that new federally required nutrition guidelines result in food that students don't want to eat. Production reports reflect a decline in the number of students eating school lunches since the new guidelines took effect.
As for teaching children to make healthy food and lifestyle choices, giving students "healthier" lunch they won't eat and end up throwing away sends the wrong life message.
When at school, kids are away from the couch, the television, the snacks and the video games. Give them a lunch option that is as healthy as their taste buds will accept and be glad they're eating hot lunch instead of chips or processed foods.
As for battling obesity, save the $300,000, and just give the kids an extra 15 minutes of recess or physical education. They'll run around and burn off more calories than the cooks can remove from the meals.