Vending Machines and Obesity Show Link Tuesday, March 23, 2010 By Ethan Lowenstein Jeese Platt makes a healthy decision from the vending machine. - Advertising Obesity is a disease and is growing at an alarming rate. According to Center of Disease Control, 2/3 of the population is overweight and 1/3 is obese. Nearly 300,000 people die a year due to poor diet habits and sedinentary lifestyles. Also, being overweight can lead to Type 2 diabetes and over 90% of Type 2 patients are overweight or obese. These are frighting and eye-opening facts, but some argue the worst part about it is our schools are encouraging it. Not directly of course, but indirectly by having vending machines in our schools.   Students are also very concerned with vending machines and obesity. Senior Ashley Nied said, "Having vending machines in schools is wrong and give kids the wrong image like eating fatty foods is ok. Vending machines are bad in schools because some kids just eat what's in the vending machine for lunch and that's one of the reasons why our country is so obese. Obesity is terrible thing in our country and the younger generation sees the older generation eating badly, so the younger kids thinks it's OK to eat bad food."   In a way vending machine can have a positive effect on helping school funding. Social Studies Teacher Mrs. Harrold said, "The company that owns the vending machine has a contract with the school and they make money." The school must decide what is more important, money or the kid's health, and sand some argue money wins out in this economy.  "A kid should generally get an hour of exercise a day not an hour of TV and the best way for a kid to get exercise is just to get outside and play," said Mrs. Harrold.    Another way to get into shape other than exercising is just to eat right. Senior Raelene Blanton said, "I usually eat 3 meals a day and if I skip a meal or eat more than 3 times a day I always feel weird and also I never go to fast food or drink soda. It just makes me feel bad and it's really bad for you."  Raelene is against having vending machines in the schools. "It just teaches the kids poor diet habits and kids could spend it on something better then a ho-ho." Raelene has to pay for her own gas, so she never even thinks of spending money on vending machines when it could go in her tank!   Vending machines can help and yeah, the schools makes money from it, but really they are bad. Students can do many things to get rid of them.  Write to your senator, talk to an administrator, but the easiest way is to just not buy that Twinkie or the Dr. Pepper. A moment on the lips is forever on the hips.

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