Keep junk food off school menu

Ishi Khosla is a former senior nutritionist at Escorts. She heads the Centre of Dietary Counselling and also runs a health food store. She feels that for complete well-being,one should integrate physical,mental and spiritual health. According to her: To be healthy should be the ultimate goal for all.

A lot has been written and said about banning junk food in schools recently,the importance of which cannot be over-emphasized,and perhaps has been overdue.

Adult diseases in youth like high blood pressure,type-2 diabetes,heart disease, osteoporosis and conditions like childhood obesity are increasing at an alarming pace,even in nations in transition like ours. What is even more disturbing is that prevalence is comparable to developed countries,affects more severely and the average age of affliction is about 10 years earlier than in the western world. According to public health experts in the US,this would be the first generation of kids to have a lower life span than their parents something which is unprecedented first time in the history of mankind.

The anti-junk food campaigns in schools started in the late 1980s and gathered momentum in 1990s in the US and have started in India in the last 5-7 years.

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Poor lifestyle choices in early years not only lead to children developing lifestyle related diseases early in life,but there are also other concerns. Food preferences are established early in life and eating patterns established by age 11 persist usually into adulthood. Also,obesity that starts in childhood often persists through adulthood. It has been reported that 50-70 per cent obese children are likely to be obese adults. There also exists a strong relationship between diet and optimal learning. Low nutrient junk food consumers despite being overweight or obese present with nutritional deficiencies like iron,vitamin D,calcium and other micro-nutrients. In addition,it is well recognised that obesity is one of the most stigmatising and least socially acceptable conditions in adolescence leading to severe emotional disturbances. Clearly,several problems can be nipped in the bud through correct eating and early lifestyle choices.

Schools provide an ideal setting for change where children spend most of their time. The reasons for creating a healthy school environment and a call for aggressive action are obvious.

Two key issues to be kept in mind while introducing changes in schools

* Providing healthier alternatives

* Education and awareness drives

* Healthier meals and snacks:

* Whole grain wraps,pizzas,sandwiches with high fibre breads

* Hygienically managed salad bars

* Roasted whole grain namkeens,grains,popcorns,bhelpuri,nuts,seeds,grams and pulse based combinations

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* Trail mixes (mixture of dried fruits,peanuts,seeds,roasted gram,crunchy low sugar cereal)

* Fresh fruits: bananas,oranges,pears,apples.

* Baked crackers with dips

* Healthy bakery

* Energy bars and granola bars

* Healthy meals prepared at school kitchen

* Avoid added sugars to beverages. Substitute sweetened sodas with healthier drinks like unsweetened fruit juices,chaach/buttermilk,nimboo paani,skimmed/ low fat milk or bottled water,sugar free sodas and even sattus.

* Strictly regulate consumption of trans-fats,artificially coloured,processed and low nutrient foods

* Discourage procurement of snacks from outside vendors.

* Education and awareness drives

* Reasonable pricing of healthier options including fruits and vegetables can significantly help in increasing the consumption of appropriate foods.

* Involve parents in school cafeteria management.

* Reinforce healthy eating messages

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* Formal curriculum must be designed to provide adequate learning opportunities for students to develop knowledge,attitudes and skills for adopting healthy eating behaviours.

* A sequential,comprehensive nutrition education curriculum should begin in kindergarten and continue through secondary school. A minimum of 50 hours of nutrition education per elementary school year is necessary to impact behaviour.

* Training teachers in nutrition can affect nutrition behaviour.

* Research validates that behavioural change correlates positively with the amount of nutrition instruction received in the classroom.

* Sensitize students to risk of low nutrient junk food.

* Schools must encourage physical activity through physical education classes and sports.

* Schools must provide walk paths,opportunities to play safely.