Nowadays, many schools find it profitable to sell unhealthy food and sugary drinks to students during lunch breaks. Is this a positive or negative development?

Many public schools find that they are inadequately funded by

government

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the government

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and must resort to other ways of raising money. Selling

food

provides a source of revenue

as well as

a service to

students

but, in my view, the sale of junk

food

and soft drinks or ‘energy’ drinks is a worrying development. Some people would argue that it is merely a matter of choice. They believe

students

can make an informed decision about whether to eat and drink products loaded with calories and excess sugar and that, indeed, there are times when

students

might need an extra energy boost or feel they deserve a sweet treat. Others feel that school

students

do not yet have the maturity to curb the impulse to buy unhealthy

food

and may be subject to peer pressure to do so. There are already too many opportunities for youngsters to purchase

this

kind of

food

elsewhere

, so putting temptation in their way by selling it at school is unacceptable. Those who do not support sales of sugary snacks and beverages say that consumption of these items has adverse long-term effects (diabetes and dental decay,

for example

), and

also

immediate effects on the learning environment. Children are often hyperactive and overexcited after consuming excessive amounts of sugar, making it difficult for them to concentrate on their studies. A local school in my area removed these items from the shop

,

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and found an immediate improvement in student concentration and behaviour.

Although

it may be less profitable, surely schools could be persuaded to sell more fruit and nourishing snacks in the interests of a healthier population. It is their role to educate young people about the benefits of a wholesome and balanced diet, not to endorse the consumption of unhealthy, calorie-rich, low-nutrition

food

and drinks.