▁▁ ▁Compet itive ▁food ▁includes ▁such ▁items ▁as ▁v ending ▁machines ▁( which ▁usually ▁contain ▁high - cal orie ▁sug ary ▁drink s ▁and ▁sod as , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁other ▁j unk ▁food s ), ▁sn ack ▁bars , ▁and ▁p izza ▁or ▁b ake ▁sales . ▁ ▁School ▁l unch ▁nut r ition ▁is ▁of ▁particular ▁importance ▁currently ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁emer ging ▁child hood ▁ob es ity ▁ep ide mic . ▁ ▁Using ▁the ▁definition ▁of ▁ob es ity ▁as ▁having ▁a ▁B MI - for - age ▁of ▁greater ▁than ▁the ▁ 8 5 th ▁percent ile , ▁approximately ▁ 3 1 . 7 % ▁of ▁American ▁children ▁qual ify ▁as ▁being ▁over weight , ▁whereas ▁ 1 6 . 9 % ▁of ▁US ▁children ▁aged ▁ 2 ▁through ▁ 1 9 ▁years ▁meet ▁criteria ▁for ▁being ▁ob ese ▁( with ▁B MI - for - age ▁greater ▁than ▁the ▁ 9 5 th ▁percent ile ). ▁ ▁Unfortunately , ▁this ▁ep ide mic ▁is ▁w ors ening ▁with ▁an ▁alarm ing ▁pace ▁- ▁in ▁school - age ▁children , ▁the ▁rate ▁of ▁ob es ity ▁has ▁increased ▁since ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁from ▁ 6 . 5 % ▁to ▁ 1 9 . 6 %. ▁ ▁Given ▁this ▁growing ▁problem ▁facing ▁our ▁nation ’ s ▁youth , ▁school ▁l unch ▁nut r ition ▁will ▁play ▁a ▁vital ▁role ▁in ▁hal ting ▁and ▁potentially ▁revers ing ▁this ▁concerning ▁tr end . ▁ ▁Farm ▁to ▁School ▁provides ▁a ▁model