Fries, pizza, chicken tenders, and sugary beverages. These are the foods and beverages that litter the food landscape of LM’s cafeteria. On any given day, one can see tray after tray filled with these high sodium, high fat, and high cholesterol food items. Most students are familiar with the research that shows that a poor diet can affect physical health, but few probably know that eating such a diet can also affect your mental health and academic performance. LM should implement healthier lunch items for the physical, mental, and academic well-being of all students. Proper nutrition has been shown to not just have benefits for the body and mind, but also for academic performance. While no one can be forced to make healthy diet choices, making more nutritious food options available will at least ensure that students have the option to make a healthier choice.

According to the Trust for America’s Health, about twenty percent of US children and adolescents, ages two to nineteen, are obese. One study done by State of Childhood Obesity in 2017 reported that only 35 percent of high school students eat breakfast everyday, forty percent reported not eating vegetables daily and 39 percent did not eat fruit or drink 100 percent fruit juice at least once a day. Eating foods high in sodium like pizza, chicken tenders, and fries without whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products can increase the risk for chronic health problems later in life. According to an article by Charlene Laino, “students who eat school lunches may have higher bad cholesterol or LDL than kids who bring their lunch along with them.” With one in three adolescents being obese in the US today, implementing healthier lunch items such as fresh produce, whole grains, legumes, and other unprocessed foods are needed for the physical well-being of all students. 

Not only would implementing healthier food contribute to the physical well-being of students, but can help students academically and emotionally. One study done by the National Bureau of Economic Research, indicated that when schools switched to healthier lunch options, students’ test scores tended to rise, and when schools took them away, scores deteriorated. They took data from about 9,700 schools over a five year period in California, and found that test scores are directly affected by the provision of healthy lunches as well as the lack of them. In addition, they stated that schools that enter a contract with a healthier school-lunch vendor perform better on state tests, with the greatest increases observed among economically disadvantaged students who were eligible for reduced-price lunches. Having access to healthier food items can assist students in consuming enough vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that nourish the brain and protect it from oxidative stress. A study by Harvard Health Publishing has shown that food in high sugar can lead to oxidative stress and potentially worsen symptoms of mood disorders, like depression. Thus, access to healthier food options can aid in better academic outcomes and emotional well-being.

School is a great place to help students grow healthy eating habits early. Establishing healthy habits early can help create the foundation for long-term health later in life. Eating in a community setting, like school, can also help expose students to new and non-preferred foods that can help increase their dietary variety, as research shows that children are more likely to try new foods if they see their peers consuming and enjoying them. By serving fresh produce, whole grains and whole, non-processed foods, students can learn what healthy food options look like. Stocking the cafeteria with candy and junk food while serving high cholesterol, high sodium and high fat foods like pizza and chicken nuggets, sends the message to students that physical health and nutrition takes a back seat to academics. The truth is that both are very much interrelated. If LM wants to prioritize the mental and physical well-being of all its students while equipping them with the tools to succeed both in and out of the classroom, one simple change they can make is to start offering healthier, more nutritious options in the cafeteria.