New York’s City Council has called upon the Department of Education to eliminate processed meats from being served in all public schools.
The council decided to pass Resolution 238, which was introduced in 2018 by Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Council Member Fernando Cabrera, reports PCRM.
“We cannot continue feeding our children substances that are scientifically proven to increase their chances of cancer later in life,” Adams said, adding that after switching to a plant-based diet in 2016, he reversed his type 2 diabetes.
The resolution cites a 2015 report from the World Health Organization that declared processed meat — hot dogs, pepperoni, bacon, sausage and deli meat — carcinogenic to humans. Carcinogens can lead to colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
According to the National Cancer of Institute, colorectal cancer rates have been on the rise among young adults in the U.S.
The study found that when compared with those born in the 1950s, those born around 1990 have double and quadruple the risks of colon and rectal cancers. This could be due to low-fiber diets, high consumption of processed meats and lack of physical activity.
The authors of the study called for healthy eating patterns to reduce risk factors associated with colorectal cancer.
In 2017, a report by the American Institue for Cancer Research estimated 47% of colorectal cancer diagnoses could be prevented each year through lifestyle changes.
“We must feed our kids nutritious meals that will nourish their bodies and help them perform better academically. Kids want to be healthy and strong, so let’s help them get there by feeding them healthy meals,” Adams said.
Currently, New York City schools are participating in “meatless Mondays” and offer daily plant-based meals to every student. There are also several vegetarian-only schools throughout the district.
Last year, a study found that 1,150 instances of critical food violations in New York City public school cafeterias in 2017. A total of 1,407 cafeterias were inspected by health officials and of those cafeterias, 617 critical violations that were found showed evidence of vermin.
