Growing Trends: School-Based Community Gardens As A Grassroots Response To Childhood Obesity

- 1 GROWING TRENDS: SCHOOL-BASED COMMUNITY GARDENS AS A GRASSROOTS RESPONSE TO CHILDHOOD OBESITY By Ann Fenton1 “Wehaveamoralobligationtoteachourchildrenhowtofeedthemselveshealthfully. We are literally feeding our children to death. To say we can t afford... More

- 1 GROWING TRENDS: SCHOOL-BASED COMMUNITY GARDENS AS A GRASSROOTS RESPONSE TO CHILDHOOD OBESITY By Ann Fenton1 “Wehaveamoralobligationtoteachourchildrenhowtofeedthemselveshealthfully. We are literally feeding our children to death. To say we can t afford to feed them better isunconscionable. ”2 INTRODUCTION A significant percentage of American children are overweight. 3 Many are obese, and suffer serious physical and mental repercussions as a result. Through years of neglect and opacity the federal standards for school nutrition have degenerated into a political battleground; our children are the walking wounded. While nutrition and activity levels at home are certainly part of the problem, focus on the personal responsibility of parents is no more than burden shifting; eventually, real action needs to be taken. As school-age children spend the vast majority of their waking life in the school environment, it seems evident that the largest impact in child wellness and nutrition co Less