Childhood obesity is an epidemic in the United States, nearly twenty percent of children ages 6 to 11 are clinically obese; however, the government does not have the ability to try to control this. (CDC, 2008) The current administration is expanding its authority beyond controlling federally funded school meals and into monitoring private vending machines in public schools. Large companies have an incentive to censor their advertising exposure to young children so that the government does not impose its own regulations. It is the responsibility and right of parents to educate their children and control what they eat. The federal government should not try to control what children eat by imposing regulations in schools, controlling the media, or taking responsibility away from parents. or their parents must choose what they will eat during their stay. There are many choices to make when it comes to controlling your diet; some of these include bringing your food from home, buying food from school cafeterias, snack bars or canteens, or buying food from a vending machine. The nutritional value of these choices can vary widely; Traditionally, food purchased in the school cafeteria is considered unhealthy. But thanks to the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), a federally funded program that provides free or reduced-price meals to those who qualify, and the Let's Move campaign, a national initiative to combat lunch Childhood obesity, school canteen food is becoming healthier. Both of these programs are federally funded and provide assistance to our public and private nonprofit school systems. T...... middle of paper ......ty/Cukavac, T. (April 19, 2011). No more packed lunches | Online school news | Scholastic.com. Teaching resources, children's book recommendations and activities for students | Scholastic.com. Retrieved April 30, 2011 from http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3756047 Martinez, M. and CNN. (November 23, 2010). San Francisco overrides mayor's veto, bans Happy Meals with toys - CNN. CNN Featured Articles. Retrieved April 30, 2011 from http://articles.cnn.com/2010-11-23/us/california.happy.meals.ban_1_offer-toys-free-toys-veto?_s=PM:USScott-Thomas, C. (December 16, 2009). The government is proposing to control foods marketed to children. Food Ingredients – Yeast, sweeteners, dietary fiber, flavors. Retrieved April 30, 2011, from http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Legislation/Government-proposes-controls-on-foods-marketed-to-kidsAPA format by BibMe.org.