Vending Machines In Schools

Vending machine Advantages And Disadvantages

Vending machines have been given a lot of media coverage in recent years. An ever-increasing selection of school districts - and many state governments - are actually eliminating vending machines or significantly restricting the number of snacks available to kids.

Mostly the action is to not have access to any form of vending machines inside elementary schools along with minimal vending machines at higher levels. Workplaces and governmental buildings have also been modifying their vending machines to encourage a healthier weight.

A majority of these changes are being created to help curtail the rising problem associated with weight problems. In South Dakota close to 33% of all students are prone to being overweight or are presently overweight and about 66 percent of adults are overweight or obese.

When vending machines are readily available, there should be policies pertaining to when the machines are able to be "turned on". A number of educational institutions will require that all vending machine operations, both inside and outside of the cafeteria, be turned off throughout standard school meal periods. Or possibly the policy will only have healthy vending machine alternatives accessible throughout the meal periods.

Despite the fact that vending do provide a significant amount of discretionary income for administration, the schools who have improved their services by delivering healthful vending machine choices haven't experienced a decrease in revenue. When children and grown ups are thirsty or hungry, they should eat yet need to have choices for healthy snack foods as well as drinks. Having healthy choices can make healthy eating less complicated choice.

Access to Healthy Vending

In order to reduce the occurrence of overweight and obesity, a large number of schools, worksites, and towns are enhancing their vending. A number of schools have done away with vending while some are supplying healthy selections as the only choices or for a portion of the foods available, i.e., fifty percent the foods or drinks will have to be "healthy".

Access to healthier alternatives can either be attained by the alternatives by machine or the volume of machines offered. For example, a building might cap the number of machines that supply the less healthy options. The particular placement of the machines should also be looked at. Set bottled water machines tactically in high traffic spots for better access by people.

Be sure to give some thought to the prices for the products for sale. You'd like the healthier choices to be as attractive in price as all unhealthy choices to make healthier eating the simpler alternative.

For instance, North Community High School in Minnesota, listed drinking water for $.75, sport beverages and 100% fruit or vegetable juices for $1.00 and soda and fruit drinks at $1.25.

Well before increasing prices, keep in mind the costs of other places equivalent items can be obtained such as any kind of allowed student fundraisers as well as local convenience stores.

Another way to entice healthier choices was to allow for students or workers to consume drinking water inside the classroom or workplace though not other beverages.

Healthier Vending Drinks

Drinks are often times the simplest place to begin as more healthy products can easily be bought. Instead of sweetened carbonated beverages (coke), the best options would be milk, any sort of flavor and also ideally non-fat or low-fat, fruit or vegetable juice containing at the very least 50% juice, and bottled water.

More healthy vending alternatives can be flavored or vitamin-enhanced fitness bottled water, sparkling water, no-calorie, diet soda pop, low-cal iced tea, or low calorie coffee. Regular soft drinks and sport drinks really should be omitted.

Milk vending machines require creativity since the milk lacks a long shelf-life. Vending machines for milk products could be limited. Stock should be rotated and also examined for expiration date. One particular South Carolina school has got milk in a refrigerator that's stocked by the student council and payment is on the honor system. They have not lost income with this effort and have supplied a healthier choice for students of a necessary nutrient.

Healthy Vending

When vending selections are improved upon, furnishing healthy vending snacks calls for extra effort when compared with beverages because of the foods that are traditionally accessible. But this is possible.

Although vegetables and fruits are great snacks, fresh and organic products are generally difficult in vending machines. Go over choices with your own vending wholesaler.

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Health Promotion initiatives comes in many different forms - http://ping.fm/24WFc

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Leaving to visit a school we're considering for my daughters

Health Promotion: Physical Activity

As a country, the citizens of the United States are sedentary (lazy). Less than half of us meet the minimum recommendation of 30 minutes of physical activity each day and our health is at risk. Being physically active every day is an important goal for all of us to achieve thus providing ample reason for Health Promotion activities to focus, in part, on physical activity.

How much physical activity do I need?

• 30 minutes each day for overall health and to decrease risk for diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes
• 60 minutes each day for managing body weight and preventing weight gain
• 60 - 90 minutes each day for sustaining weight loss

How do I fit this much physical activity into my day?

Some people set aside time to work out at fitness centers, take classes or go on hikes or bike rides with friends and family. Others find ways to fit physical activity into their daily routines like:

• Walking or biking to the bus stop or all the way to work
• Walking at lunch time
• Holding walking meetings
• Walking or biking to run errands, go to the library, park, or visiting friends
• Walking the dog
• What works best for you?

Health Promotion: Ten Reasons For Physical Activity

1. It’s one of the best things we can do for our health.
2. It’s a stress-reducer.
3. It burns calories!
4. We’ll probably sleep better.
5. It keeps our bones and joints in good shape if we don’t overdo it.
6. We’re less likely to develop diabetes, heart disease or cancer.
7. We’re less likely to gain unwanted weight.
8. We may get sick less often.
9. It can improve our mood and relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety.
10. What is your best reason?

Health Promotion

Health Promotion initiatives comes in many different forms, but the main purpose of health promotion is to encourage individuals to take preventive measures to avert the onset or worsening of an illness or disease and to adopt healthier lifestyles. Employers may utilize a wide range of health promotion initiatives, from onsite gyms to simple health promotion newsletters.

While some businesses have instituted very comprehensive health promotion programs, others have achieved savings or increased productivity with just a few simple health promotion activities. What’s most important is to get started. Having a plan, along with one or two health promotion activities, can serve as a foundation for building a more comprehensive program down the road.

Why Workplace Health Promotion?

Workplace health promotion is an investment in your most important asset, your employees. Studies have shown that employees are more likely to be on the job and performing well when they are in optimal physical and psychological health. Employees are also more likely to be attracted to, remain with, and value a company that values them. Health promotion in the workplace improves company productivity by:

• Attracting the most talented workers;
• Reducing absenteeism and lost time;
• Improving on-the-job time utilization and decision making; and
• Improving employee morale, which leads to a reduction in turnover.

In addition to improved productivity, health promotion programs have proven to be an effective tools in slowing the growth of health care costs. Choosing healthier alternatives may reduce an employee’s chances of suffering from disease. Less disease means employers can lower health plan use, thereby lowering health benefit costs, and in turn increasing the bottom line. While medical cost savings from health promotion programs may be less evident than productivity gains, studies show that medically high-risk employees are medically high-cost employees as they use more health care and generate higher claim costs.

Finally, by investing in worksite health promotion, employers will be helping America achieve its two major Healthy People 2010 worksite-specific objectives:

• 75 percent of all employers, regardless of size, offering a comprehensive employee health promotion program; and
• 75 percent of all employees participating in employer-sponsored health promotion activities