FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — When middle and high-school students head back to school this month, they will face choices that could affect their health — not in the classroom, but standing in the lunch line and in front of vending machines.

When they make a choice, they will do so based on the snacks they had at home this summer and what they eat after school, which is why parents need to pay attention to what their children eat, says Marjorie Fitch-Hilgenberg, associate professor of nutrition in the University of Arkansas School of Human Environmental Sciences.

“Parents need to start educating children at a very young age,” said Fitch-Hilgenberg. “If children are being offered candy at home as a snack or as a reward, they will seek the same thing at school.”

Nutrition in the schools has become an important topic because of the rising problem of childhood obesity, which can lead to health problems both during childhood and later in life.

“It’s a community-wide, statewide issue when you start talking about the health of our children. Everyone needs to be involved,” Fitch-Hilgenberg said.

Vending machines have been banned from elementary schools, but still populate the hallways of middle and high schools. The food found in these vending machines often offers little in the way of nutrition.

“Many of the products there are high-sugar and high-fat,” Fitch-Hilgenberg said. “You’re not seeing high-quality vitamins and minerals there.”

Despite the dubious nutritional value of some of the food and drinks, the machines will remain in many schools because they offer something that schools often lack — an extra revenue source.

“Over the years, many schools have used vending machine revenues to enhance school projects,” Fitch-Hilgenberg said. “Vending machines are a big business.”

To counter the lure of unhealthy fare, she suggested that parents provide their children with healthy after-school snacks, such as fruit-flavored yogurts, low-fat milk, fresh fruits or peanuts. Parents might also think twice about the choices made when stopping at a fast food restaurant to get a “quick and easy” dinner.

“Parents are role models. They need to give children the tools to make good decisions,” she said. Adolescents may not always make the healthiest choices, but there’s a greater probability that they will if they are provided with nutritious food at home.

“There’s nothing wrong with a candy bar now and then,” she said. “It’s eating a candy bar daily in place of a healthy meal that can lead to problems.”