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Healthy Eating In Schools - Are We Doing Enough?
Healthy Eating In Schools - Are We Doing Enough?
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Nearly a year ago, Education Minister Anne Tolley announced the scrapping of a mandate for healthy foods in schools, a move many health experts fear could have lasting negative implications for school children.
"As part of the National Government's commitment to reducing compliance for schools, I have decided to remove the clause in National Administration Guideline which states 'where food and beverages are sold on schools' premises, to make only healthy options available," explained Tolley at the time.
Some key concerns of health experts were outlined in a paper published in the New Zealand Medical Journal in February 2009, by Jennifer Utter and colleagues, School is back in New Zealand - and so is the junk food.
Utter comments on the fact that selling junk food will contribute to the current generation of young people facing a lifetime burden of obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases because of poor nutrition, and concludes, "it's not too late to reinstate the clause as one part of a comprehensive policy to prevent obesity and diabetes".
One year on, has anything changed? Ahead of children all over the country heading back to school next week, the Science Media Centre approached a number of organisations and health experts to ask their view about the current situation in terms of foods currently provided to children in schools, about the importance of healthy eating for children, and about what's now needed in terms of food policies in schools.
Some of the comments we received are outlined below - for the full list, and a list of references and sources for further information, please visit the SMC website here
What sort of food is
currently available in schools and is it all healthy?
Dr Jennifer Utter from the University of Auckland comments:
"Surveys of school canteens generally find
that energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods like
pies,
sausage rolls, chips and crisps, cakes and donuts, and sweet
drinks are common in school canteens. Fewer than half of all
schools have fruit on the menu and if healthier options were
available, they are more expensive.
"More than 50% of children and 60% of adolescents buy food from the school canteen. Making healthy food choices at school given these options is nearly impossible."
Bronwen King, a Christchurch Public Health Nutritionist, comments in conjunction with the Schools and Fruit in Schools Teams in Christchurch:
"The schools that have maintained the changes they made as a result of National Administration Guideline (NAG) 5 and those using the food and beverage classification system as their guide have healthy food services. Those that did not make changes, or have reverted back to old habits as a result NAG 5 section 3 being repealed are selling food that is not looking after the health and well being of the children e.g. pies, crisps, sausage rolls and cream buns. These schools are also likely to have brought back chocolate fund raisers and McDonalds vouchers for rewards (both counterproductive to healthy attitudes and behaviour around food).
[cont. on website]
Ruth Crawford, from the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (Nurses for Children and Young People Aotearoa section), comments:
"There is a wide variety of foods available, but after the removal of the legislation around Healthy Food in schools requirement we have noticed a significant increase in high sugar and high fat foods available in some canteens.
"Foods available in schools vary per school. Some schools that are on the journey of Health Promoting Schools (HPS) programme make changes and are more proactive in the choices of foods offered at school as are the Fruit in Schools (FIS) schools. Unfortunately I think this is because of the programme on offer more than a lifestyle of the school change in some instances but others with the right principal, staff and community buy in are successfully keeping healthy food choices in the forefront. On the other hand some schools still maintain options such as pastry and pies, as well as the odd healthy option, but often these canteens are privately contracted/run and have some direction from the school but not as much as the school-owned ones where the school can have strong input into the menu."
Jenny Stewart (National Programme Manager - Schools & Early Childhood Education) from The National Heart Foundation, comments:
"New Zealand schools offer a range of food to our children with healthy options such as wraps and sushi to unhealthy options such as pies and confectionary."
Sarah Hanrahan, a Registered Dietitian with the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation, comments:
"The range of food on offer in New Zealand schools varies dramatically. With the removal of the National Administration Guidelines clause requiring schools to sell only healthy food early in 2009, some schools opted to stay with offering only healthy choices while anecdotal evidence suggests many others reverted to their previous menu. New Zealand studies carried out prior to the implementation of the National Administration Guideline showed the most commonly available foods in schools at this time were pies, juice and sausage rolls(1), all foods to be enjoyed as a treat but not foods to form the daily basis of school lunch."
Do New
Zealand school children currently have an optimal food and
nutrition intake?
Jennifer Utter comments:
"Children and young people in New Zealand eat too many snack foods, takeaway foods and consume too much fizzy drink while eating too few fruits and vegetables. This has been documented in several of our national health and nutrition surveys and is evidenced by New Zealand's high prevalence of overweight and obesity. Poor food options at school do not contribute to a healthier diet for school children"
Bronwen King comments:
"Definitely not. One in three children is overweight and this trend is set to continue with the increasing consumption of processed, packaged, fast and convenience foods.
"Increased consumption of processed foods not only leads to excessive kilojoule intake (which is stored as fat) but also micronutrient deficiencies, particularly in iron, calcium and iodine. This increases risk of degenerative conditions e.g. type 2 diabetes and heart disease as well as compromising immune systems."
Jenny Stewart comments:
"The recent NZ Health survey 2006-2007 (2) showed 26% of adults are obese and 21% of children are overweight with 8% obese. To add to this, the National Children's Nutrition survey 20023 showed a percentage of New Zealand children suffered from micro nutrient deficiencies in calcium and iron affecting optimal bone and brain growth."
What is the impact of, and the importance
of, healthy eating for children?
Jennifer
Utter comments:
"Poor nutrition is a major contributor to numerous chronic conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many cancers. The social consequences of poor nutrition in childhood are significant and long-lasting as well. Children and adolescents consuming an excess of food additives in many processed foods (such as sodium benzoate and artificial food colours) are more likely to develop hyperactivity which negatively affects their learning. Children and young people who experience overweight are more likely to experience stigmatization, discrimination, peer-exclusion and other psychosocial consequences. Overweight and obesity that develops during childhood is likely to persist into adulthood contributing to a lifetime of poor health."
Bronwen King comments:
"Health is compromised by excess kilojoule intake and this is compounded by not enough physical activity - this leads to obesity which increases the risk of a long list of health conditions. Health is doubly compromised by inadequate intake of micronutrients e.g. calcium (bone growth and strength compromised), iron (brain development and growth compromised), iodine (thyroid function compromised - controls metabolism), fibre (digestive system disorders) etc.
"Lack of physical activity affects motor skills which in turn affects the ability of kids to reach their intellectual potential - long term this increases risk of muscular skeletal disorders and impaired functionality while ageing.
"There are huge psychological and sociological impacts of being overweight and of not reaching full academic potential - more depression, lesser job prospects which exacerbate depression etc. The predicted health care costs are staggering. Currently it is estimated to cost over $40,000 a year for a diabetic patient to undergo dialysis. Given that kids are getting type 2 diabetes earlier and earlier, they are likely to need it while still young and for years! The health care costs are predicted to cripple the health budget by 2020 which will mean less money for education, roads etc."
What action is needed to improve the current
situation?
Jennifer Utter comments:
"To improve the quality of foods provided in schools for all children and young people, national regulation restricting the sale of unhealthy foods to school children is necessary as one part of a comprehensive policy to improve the nutrition and health profile of New Zealand's children and young people. This type of policy would be cost-effective and would have the potential to benefit all children and young people equally."
Bronwen King comments:
"Simple - bring back NAG 5 section 3. We also think compulsory food policy in schools is essential.
What we need is strong leadership from the top and tough measures, not the soft options they are dishing out now. Unless we get this, we will all pay the price. The implications of kids not reaching their academic potential, increased mental health issues, increased lifestyle disease, increased waiting lists etc are huge - they will impact on all of us!"
Ruth Crawford comments:
"Blanket
legislation across all schools and pre-schools from
Government would ensure that the school environment only
provided and advocated healthy food choices and the
rationale why. Compulsory Healthy Food Policy brought about
by the Ministry of Education (supported by Ministry of
Health) sounds great!! Compulsory change if done with
consultation and slowly does work.
This is such a huge
issue. We know the research behind good food......How do you
put a further food policy in school if parents are the
suppliers of the lunch boxes? It will not be resolved with a
simple media message. Unless schools provide free lunches as
in UK to lower income families and have canteens in schools
it is going to be an ongoing issue."
Jenny Stewart comments:
"The Heart Foundation is working to combat this issue through its comprehensive health promotion programme, the Healthy Heart Award in Schools - Tohu Manawa Ora: Kura. The programme offers support and resources to ensure a whole school approach to making changes to their nutrition policy and environment, school food service, curriculum and delivering professional development to teachers. Schools can showcase their efforts through an interactive website Digivillage (9). The programme rewards schools with a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award, positive publicity and the sense of achievement. Our evaluation studies and teacher feedback from schools have shown improvements in children's food intake has improved behaviour and learning (10)."
ENDS
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