Michelle Obama plans to eliminate advertisements for “junk” food in schools in hopes of creating healthier eating habits.
The First Lady wants to get rid of sugary drinks and unhealthy food advertisements on vending machines and banners found throughout campuses, with the goal of promoting healthier foods.
In an NBC News interview, Obama said, “Our classrooms should be healthy places where kids are not bombarded with ads for junk foods.”
Obama has made physical fitness and healthier eating her signature policies since 2009 and now plans to take on the challenge of eliminating advertisements that she sees as inappropriate for the school environment.
Some feel that the elimination of unhealthy food advertisements will have no affect on students, as many disagree as they feel the less exposure students have to those particular advertisements the better.
Junior Peter Oaks said, “The taking down of advertisements for junk food throughout the school will not decrease the amount of junk food intake because we still see the same advertisements in outside places.”
According to NBC, Obama wants to make the produce asile the go to place for a snack instead of the chips and candy aisle. She feels this encouragement will start where students spend most of their time, at school.
Sophomore Gabriella Lehr said, “The way I see it, Michelle would be doing this purely for publicity to please the older generations that don’t know the dynamics of schools these days. Whether it’s on a billboard or not, students have enough common sense to not do everything they [the advertisements] say.”
Senior Simone McCarthy said, “I mean if that’s what they want to focus on go for it. It might change other people’s decision because yeah if there aren’t any posters people might not think about drinking it, but if someone wants a sugary drink they will get it.”
Students are targeted as advertisers see them as easy people to persuade into purchases with putting pictures in unavoidable places.
Junior Mackenna Galicia said, “Schools may think that they are feeding us healthy food, but in all reality nothing we are fed in school is actually healthy, so before worrying about the ads we see at school, we should worry about the food we eat.”
School food may not be super popular among students, but Obama plans to change that with her campaign.
Obama said, “Our priority is supporting the health of kids and they shouldn’t be targeted for the marketing of junk foods and drinks.”
