Each day, millions of impressionable children are sent to school by loving parents, whose blind faith in the educational system of our country is betrayed in the health classroom. In this setting, their children are poisoned with the toxic dietary advice spewed upon them by educators who are not sufficiently trained in the field of nutrition. Yet, school districts continue to create curriculum centered on a common goal of weight loss, in a misguided attempt to combat childhood obesity. The gross overgeneralization that a low calorie diet is a healthy and sustainable lifestyle for all is merely fuel for the ever growing epidemic of eating disorders that plague today’s youth. 

Although it may seem counterintuitive to teach children that eating sweets is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, this concept is exactly what needs to be incorporated into health education curricula throughout the country. School districts have a long history of prioritizing the war against obesity. While still relevant, the pendulum has now swung in the other direction. Childhood and adolescent eating disorders are currently at an all time high and deserve the same priority that has been given to childhood obesity for years. School districts must be held accountable for properly creating and implementing instruction in nutrition education that teaches moderation and balanced, nonrestrictive eating habits.