Vending Machine Diet Harmful for Kids
Not that this news comes as a surprise to anyone, but a recent study has found that children who eat from vending machines have an increased chance of weight gain and face the possibility of chronic health problems when older.
The study focused on 2,309 kids ranging from grades 1-12 from schools across the United States.The team acquired data on the children's food intake over a 24-hour period by giving students questionnaires and analyzing the data collected.
Twenty-two percent of the children polled used vending machines, with the highest percentage found in high schools, understandably since a whopping 88% have vending machines in use. The location of the vending machines also made a difference; higher use was found in those located in actual cafeterias due to the availability of those snacks at mealtimes.
When calculated, the study found that these foods can add an extra 300 calories per day to a child's diet, which can end up being an extra 14 pounds a year in weight gain.
The top choices were chips, crackers, cookies, cakes, ice cream and candy, contributing not only to higher levels of sugar but sodium as well. A lack of iron, vitamin B and dietary fiber were discovered in the children who snacked on the vending machine goodies as well.
The study highlights the importance of offering a large array of healthy choices in the school machines while keeping up the cash flow that these machines generate for the schools at the same time.
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