Introduction
It is no secret that teenagers are a group within society that older categories focus their attention on. The reason is that teenagers actively undergo a bio-psychological transformation, worldview formation, and social adaptation. Wide health initiatives aiming this population are designed to secure these processes in young people and keep them healthy. By analyzing their ultimate impact, one can understand and amplify their total efficiency.
Choice Architecture in American School Lunches
Improving the nutrition of a particular societal group is one of the primary ways to improve its collective physiological well-being. One of the latest significant public health policies oriented toward increasing the quality and diversity of food consumed by teenagers in the United States (US) was the introduction of choice architecture into school meals. It includes “improving selection, appeal, and prominence of more nutritious food choices” (Hargreaves et al., 2022, p. 2). Experts state that while such a program is effective, it alone is not enough to address the current dietary problems of adolescents and prevent new ones (Hargreaves et al., 2022). These are food insecurity, low weight, obesity, micronutrient deficiencies, and metabolic problems (Hargreaves et al., 2022). Therefore, one can conclude that a comprehensive systematized set of policies and programs on a national scale from responsible institutions is needed to establish dietary balance in youth. Many simultaneous measures will complement each other and create a resonant effect to address every issue.
Conclusion
This paper discusses one of the population health initiatives aimed at improving the nutrition of adolescents in the US, namely choice architecture. The writers of the article note that its impact is positive but insufficient. They then provide a series of recommendations on enhancing the effectiveness of this and other recently applied public health policies. The conclusion of the discussion is that American education needs a comprehensive federal program to upgrade school lunches.
Reference
Hargreaves, D., Mates, E., Menon, P., Alderman, H., Devakumar, D., Fawzi, W., Greenfield, G., Hammoudeh, W., He, S., Lahiri, A., Liu, Z., Nguyen, P. H., Sethi, V., Wang, H., Neufeld, L. M., & Patton, G. C. (2022). Strategies and interventions for healthy adolescent growth, nutrition, and development. The Lancet, 399(10320), pp. 1–13. Web.