Calorie Camera: Should Children's Lunch Choices be Recorded?

Posted on May 17th 2011 11:00AM by Emma Gray

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Childhood obesity is definitely a current health hot topic. In the United States, where obesity among kids has increased exponentially in the last 30 years, much of the discourse has centered around the nutrition that children receive while at school. As many schools alter their lunch menus and even debate banning cafeteria staples such as chocolate milk, Texas elementary schools are taking a different approach.

Using federal funding, elementary schools in San Antonio have begun installing "calorie cameras" which photograph the lunch trays of every student that passes by them. The images are then analyzed and each child's calorie-intake is tracked. Students are aware that they are being monitored and all data is given over to the parents, as well as being used by researchers.

The researchers who are designing the San Antonio program hope that it will shed light on student choices and encourage diet changes within children's homes.

Do you think that this program could help urge kids to make healthier choices, quelling youth obesity? Or is this program an invasion of privacy and a waste of government money?

We asked some of our readers, and here's what they had to say:

Lisa M.

Um, this is going way too far. It feels like they either don't do enough or do way too much -- pack a healthy lunch for your children! Plain and simple!

Jala C.

Use the money to hire people who know what to really serve the kids. A flour white tortilla with processed cheese, one piece of iceburg lettuce and processed turkey with chips isn't health! Duh! We need cameras to tell us that? Oh my Lord!

Sherry M.

I think it's an invasion of privacy.

Victor Ortiz
If only they had that when I was in school, maybe I wouldn't have ever gotten fat! Who cares about the invasion of privacy?

Gina P.
It's not going to matter; it all has to start at home. If kids' parents are only feeding them processed, high fat, junk or fast foods at home, then that's what they will choose at school. The obesity rates in children aren't as bad as they are just because of what the options, or lack thereof, are at school.

Stephanie O.
Just provide HEALTHIER FOODS -- more fruits and veggies. NO need for cameras since the lunch menus are already posted.

Linda W.

The school is the one that is choosing what to serve the kids. If they have the data, nutritional value and calories/fat etc., and it is distributed to the children in correct portions, they would have have that information. If kids are eating lunch their parents packed for them, it certainly isn't the school that needs to monitor what they eat, even if it is all junk. And I agree, kids aren't overweight from school lunches, it is what they eat and lifestyle they have at home.

Pam S.

I think that the money spent on this could be better spent on textbooks, art programs, and teacher salaries.

Jewls P.

Ok, this is absolutely ridiculous and an invasion of privacy! These are children who have parents and it is THEIR job to monitor calories. Cameras capture pictures and activities. They are are not calorie meters! Waste of taxpayer dollars! Teach nutrition in schools and practice good nutrition at home. This is just more government interference and control as far as I am concerned, and very inappropriate.

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Tags: calorie camera, calorie+cameras, caloriecameras, child obesity, childhood+obesity, childhoodobesity, obesity epidemic, reader reaction

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Biomechanics and Weight Loss 5-17-2011 @ 4:26PM

1. Obesity is not caused by excessive food intake.

2. Weight gain/weight loss is not about calories.

3. Weight loss is not about “burning calorie”.

The science of obesity is based on embarrassing misconception. Here is the link to the article “Misconception about Counting Calories and Weight Management” that explain more: biomechanicsandhealth.com/calories.htm

Michael 5-17-2011 @ 8:25PM

Yet when Jamey Oliver went to the schools and tried to change what they were serving he was told NO! This is what we've always done and they HAVE to have two servings of bread and they LIKE their pizza!
On other words the kids and the school were in control!

Chelle 5-17-2011 @ 10:18PM

I love Jamie... he's so right. It's about serving whole, unprocessed foods. The slow food movement needs to come to schools too.

tammy 5-17-2011 @ 8:42PM

It is the responsibility of the parents to control what their children eat. The lunchroom ladies or gentlemen have very little input on what they serve, there is a manager who sits in the district office and makes the menus based on what the government is going to reimburse. Unlike schools,lunch rooms are profit making entities.

You are responsible for your diet and health no one else!

Tricia 5-17-2011 @ 9:26PM

Wow. I hope this was a privately funded waste of money. When are parents going to start taking responsibility for their children?? If a child is overweight it is the PARENTS fault. I think this is the most rediculous thing I have seen in a long time, next to Shape-Ups for kids that is. Definately not an invasion of privacy though. Parents should care what their children are eating, but the only way to really know is to pack a lunch for them. That's right, I said it....pack....a...lunch...for....your....child.

LJ 5-17-2011 @ 10:10PM

This is an outrageous example of Big Brotherism. At what point will the school be told they cannot sell a certain food to a certain child? Disgusting. Want to know why kids are fat? Because more an more gym classes are being eliminated in favor of using the space for academic subjects. And the teachers assign too much freaking homework. Essentially the kids are prisoners at home doing more schoolwork hours after the teachers are kicking back at home. The idea of a kid going out to play ANY game ( baseball, tag, rollerskating) after school died about 20 years ago. Gym class should be everyday and they should put an end to homework.

JACKIE 5-17-2011 @ 11:25PM

When I was a kid, we had a real cafeteria with cooks who really cooked the lunches. Food was homestyle, pretty much what you'd have gotten at home. That or bring your own lunch. This was before chicken nuggets etc. At some point schools can't be everything to everybody. This is totally rediculous.

Jim 5-18-2011 @ 1:18AM

Big Brother is watching your burger.

Christine 5-18-2011 @ 2:57AM

First, the children are not being recorded. Their lunch trays are scanned by the cameras so that they know the content of the trays (calorie count, saturated fats, etc.) & when the children return their trays, the cameras measure how much the child has eaten. Second, it cost 2 million in TAX PAYERS' money to install these cameras. The same schools that are being forced to lay off teachers because there's not enough money. In one week over 300 teachers lost their jobs because there was not enough money to pay their salaries. Yet we can spend 2 million to install cameras to see what schools are feeding children so we can see how obesity in children works?!?