It’s no secret that obesity rates are high among children in the United States, but the cause of this disparity is far less apparent. In fact, since the 1970s, the amount of United States children who are obese has grown three times in size, making the United States a country with one of the highest rates of child obesity. One out of six children in the United States is categorized as obese, defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as: “having excess body fat”. The disparity doesn’t stop at obesity, as one out of three United States children can be categorized as overweight or obese.

People of color are disproportionately obese compared to white people in the United States. This is due to food deserts and lack of healthy resources in communities of color. Only 16% of non-Hispanic white boys ages 3-17 are obese as compared to 17% of non-Hispanic black boys and 23% of Mexican-American boys. The same disparity exists for girls, as 14% of non-Hispanic white girls are obese, while 21% of non-Hispanic black girls and 18% of Mexican-American girls are. Socio-Economic status also effects obesity.

Food education in public institutions is lacking. Knowledge on nutrition, diet and exercise largely comes from out of school sources. Unfortunately, this means that children and teens turn to media and non-experts to learn about how to have a balanced diet and the importance of exercise.

MyPlate is one of several resources for those interested in learning about nutrition. Among other things, MyPlate is the creator of the plate and cup image that shows how much of each five food groups individuals should be eating in each meal. USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion published the plate as their official nutrition guide. MyPlate is a great resource for teachers and administrators when looking to teach students about nutrition, but it must be integrated to be impactful.

Organizations like MyPlate are making a great impact, but our country can do better. Comprehensive nutrition courses should be required in public schools. Even a small seminar could have a large benefit on the futures and health of students. As teenagers grow into adults, their habits become ingrained in their brains. It’s important that schools help students make healthy habits before they graduate and enter their adult lives.

Obesity rates are far lower in France and Japan, not due to malnutrition, but because students in those countries learn about food and nutrition through various experiences.

Gardening is common practice for students in French schools. They can see first hand how their food is made, and it has a clear impact. In France the OECD forecasts that child obesity rate will stay steady below 10% for the next ten years, just as it has been for the past 20. Rates are similarly low in Japan, and the experiential learning comes in a different, but equally beneficial, form. Students get hands on experience in the kitchen, preparing traditional meals from scratch. It is the same important connection between the food and ingredients that become the dishes that students eat.

Unfortunately, programs like in Japan and France aren’t present for students in the United States. This disconnect could be one of the reasons for large numbers of children who are obese and overweight in the United States.

The outlook for child obesity is less gloomy in France than in most other OECD countries. Although OECD projections do indicate a risk of an increase in the number of children who are overweight, child obesity rates are likely to remain below 10% over the next 10 years. Beyond France and Japan, there a many other countries, mostly in Europe, that have healthier, greener, more nutrients-filled school lunches.

“Everything in moderation” becomes the mantra repeated over and over again until questioning it seems pointless, because it’s just true. But what is this ambiguous “everything”? And what does moderation mean?

The reality of food education at St. Paul Academy and Summit School is that it’s largely non-existent. Though the short semester long Fitness for Life course in ninth grade attempts to cover the ever changing definition of what leading a nutritional life is, it falls short. While it does a thorough job teaching students about different workouts and mental and physical health, the few classes focused on food education unfortunately do not remain with students “for life”.

“Fitness for Life focuses on instilling healthy habits in students through exposure to a variety of workouts, knowledge of body and mental health, and personal and physical skills to be physically active and to make choices that positively influence their whole wellness. I hope the students develop confidence and skills to desire to pursue a healthy lifestyle,” US Gym Teacher Cari Jo Anderson said.

This discrepancy is largely due to the format of the lunch room and food preparation. Students tasked with eating lunch must only stand in a lunch line to be served a heaping pile of warm food. What if these students could see how the sausage was made, literally. Witnessing and partaking in the preparation of food could be largely beneficial. If students could see what went into their favorite dishes, they would be better equipped to make choices that are right for their own bodies. The Fitness for Life curriculum is adding to it’s curriculum to cater to the student need for experiential learning.

“I’m finding there are gaps for nutrition education through the structure of how Fitness for Life is laid out. Some ways that is being remedied is through enlisting outside resources such as registered dietitians, or our very own Chef Simon, to talk through and educate students on food,” Anderson said. “As this class continues to grow, so does the content that is pertinent for students to learn- especially when it comes to food education.”

At first glance, nutrition seems to be all about diets and restrictions, but education should be learning about the different ways in which food nurtures the body.