Do we need to start having nutrition classes in schools?

[BlaqueKatt]

on anoter message board reading this article and the thread there was all "vegans are wrong rawr". WTF-it has nothing to do with the fact that she's not eating animal products it has to do with the parents NOT knowing enough about nutrition to get the RIGHT products. It's easy to stop eating meat and eat nothing but veggies-but if you don't know the nutrient content you will have problems*. Pick up a damn book on it for Pete's sake-going from a omnivorous diet to just eating lettuce, for example, is not healthy-you need other things(lettuce and a multivitamin doesn't count), find out what nutrients your body needs and what has them in what quantities damn how hard is that? Yes I believe the parents are at fault-but not for the vegan diet, but for not taking the time to find out what you need to replace what is obtained nutrient-wise from animal products(both vitamin D and Vitamin B12 are not found in any non-animal sources-so you have to look for items supplemented with them). Yes it make take more effort to prepare food that is balanced, and contains what is needed, than it would to just fill a plate with random veggies-but your body needs certain things in certain combinations to function, why is this concept so hard for some people to grasp? hey look at that took me 5 seconds to find an article on it-why couldn't these parents do that? These parents malnourished their child-and what they chose not to eat has nothing to do with it-it is the ignorance of nutrition that caused this-the same thing would've happened if they had fed her nothing but Bacon or twinkies.


*there are current studies about weather or not some nutrients can be absorbed by the body in a useful manner in the absence of animal products-but as that research is still ongoing I'm not commenting on it further.

[IDrinkaRum]

I sorta kinda remember having a nutrition class of sorts in my P.E. Class. We'd have P.E. & textbook portions of the class alternating either every semester or every few weeks. I can't remember which - I'm old.

But I think there should be some free nutrition classes given out like at the local library or something. That might be good. I don't know. But the parents really should have tried to help their daughter understand the new diet* and in turn, they'd have been able to understand the new diet and help her with it.




*I'm not using the word diet to mean a way to loose weight, but diet as in what they've chosen to eat. My diet consists of basically everything but fruits and vegetables. (I'm mainly a meat & potatoes type of girl & that's what my diet reflects).

[AFPheonix]

It's not like that sort of information is secret at all. There are dedicated nutritionists that could have worked with these parents and their pediatricians to get a healthy diet put together for themselves and their children.
But you're right, it's not about veganism, it's about parents who for whatever reason choose unwisely for their children, choose not to educate themselves about whatever they're endeavoring to do, don't seek professional help, and frankly don't care. They're no better than those morons who decided to use faith-healing to cure their child of some easily treatable disease and ended up letting her die instead.

[anriana]

I would be very sad if her parents were severly disciplined by the state or she was taken away by CPS (or whatever it's called in that country). Require them to take a nutrition class or something, but anything more severe than that would be unfair. How many children are brought up by their parents on high fructose corn syrup and end up with diabetes/heart attacks at a young age/other complications?


I would be glad if we had REAL nutrition classes in school, along with assorted other life skills. I had one where we spent an entire semester going over the traditional food pyramid.

[Slytovhand]

I would be very sad if her parents were severly disciplined by the state ... How many children are brought up by their parents on high fructose corn syrup and end up with diabetes/heart attacks at a young age/other complications?


I would be glad if we had REAL nutrition classes in school, along with assorted other life skills. I had one where we spent an entire semester going over the traditional food pyramid.

Yes, I'm a narky bastard, but I do think some sort of 'disciplinary action' is in order (not CPS though... bit late for that).

Not for the actual diet, but for ignorance.. and stupidity (what.. you reckon they didn't notice anything out of the norm in all those years??). Having and raising takes responsibility and what they did was grossly irresponsible... but no less so than high fructose corn syrup etc...

Over in this land, we do have nutrition classes (well - it's part of the basic education system, at any rate). And we're imposing measures for what can be served in school canteens as well. (doesn't stop the little darlings from getting coke addictions from Maccas though...).

If it's going to be of use to you in living your life, you need to be taught it... so yes - nutrition classes in school!

Slyt