By Jay Carroll
Staff Writer

In elementary school, Fridays meant more than the day before the weekend for me. It meant the one-day of the week when my mom allowed me to purchase a dessert with my lunch.

I learned at a young age the importance of moderation and making healthy decisions when it comes to diet.

The United States of America is one of the fattest countries and it could be because we live in a rushed environment, and the food is quick and greasy.

The country we live in is so rushed for kids, whether they are going to school, work or an after-school practice. This is the cause of kids not eating as healthily as they could be. Some students, instead of quickly eating at home, will make a quick stop at a fast food restaurant. Students will stop at these places because it is very convenient for them, and sometimes because they do not like the food available for them at home.

However, while students in high school basically determine what they are going to eat by themselves, the parents play a big role when the kids are in elementary school. This is because parents can decide what their kids eat, and even drink. This influences what students eat in the future.

Growing up, my mom only put desserts with my lunch on Fridays. While she does not do that now, I have a pretty good idea of what she would like me to be eating each day. For the most part I pay attention to what I eat (except for the Oreos I eat everyday, but that is my weakness).

Another vital part of obesity in children is fast food restaurants. There are multiple fast food restaurants in Coppell, none of which are as healthy as a good home cooked meal. If you were to order a burger at a restaurant, it would be unhealthier than making a burger at your house. This is because you can control what you put on your burger at.

However, if you order a burger from a fast food chain then it has grease, and it is going to be a lot unhealthier. Same thing goes for just about any food salads, pasta and chicken items because you determine what dressing or sauce you put on your food at home.

Even if a student were to make their lunch and bring a sandwich it would be healthier than buying a lunch here.

I understand that you can’t always make your lunch or have a parent make a home-cooked meal for you. I have nights where I am so swamped between practice and homework that I just do not make my lunch and buy my lunch the next day. But for four out of the five days a week we are in school I make my own lunch and bring it to school.

However, I also have practice and run occasionally trying to stay in shape and be healthy. So, maybe if parents would not necessarily push their kids to work out, but encourage them to do so. They could live healthier lives, to motivate the kids the parents could even go and run, walk, jog or bike with their kids to encourage their kids to work out more and live a healthy life.

Parents are a huge factor in their kids’ life, and the parents need to take responsibility and help their kids live a healthier life.