I agree with what Jackson said about the government having the ability to decide what food, if any, it wants to provide in schools. That government, however, should be the school district. It’s their responsibility – and if they don’t do a good job, it’s the parents that should put pressure on them to change.

I can see how the federal government might feel pressure to get involved, however, if it decides to tie its success to the individual eating choices of its citizens.

Instead of this, I think the government’s involvement (both at the federal and local level) should center on education. So, a campaign promoting organic food and water (as opposed to fast food and soft drinks) would be fine, but things like subsidizing the organic farmers, taxing fast food or sugar, outlawing trans fats – or even forcing companies to list calorie counts¹ – wouldn’t.

This way the responsibility for (and the influence of) an individual’s health decisions rest where they should: on the individual first and on his/her family second.

¹ I used to be on-board with the calorie count thing, but I like it less and less the more I think about it. Not only does it take responsibility from the consumer, it provides a false indication of what it takes to be healthy. (It’s the toxin and nutrient content that matters.)