Centre's guidelines propose restricting junk food in and around schools across the country
Necessary for children's health
The Centre's proposal to restrict the sale and consumption of junk food in and around schools across the country is an important measure in the fight against rising lifestyle diseases. In guidelines framed, the government proposes to restrict items such as chips, fries, colas, chocolates, burgers and samosas inside school canteens and within 50 m of school premises. Simultaneously, it pitches for a uniform education policy to encourage children to switch over to a healthier diet. Given the enormity of the challenge, restricting junk food in schools is a necessary first step.
There's no denying that children today are continuously bombarded with a range of processed food items that are high on unhealthy fats, sugar and salt. Fast food retailers devise clever marketing techniques to specifically target children and push their products. However, excessive consumption of junk food has led to a global childhood obesity problem. An estimated 17.6 million children under the age of five are overweight worldwide. This in turn has heightened the risk of cardiovascular diseases, Type-II diabetes, hypertension and certain forms of cancer. Several studies show a high intake of junk food diminishes a child's mental growth and learning abilities. Add to this WHO's recent recommendations advocating drastic cuts in sugar products for both children and adults.
Of course, it's not possible to completely cut out children's access to junk food. However, restricting unhealthy processed foods in schools is an effective way to educate children about their harmful effects. In this context, it's welcome that the government's guidelines prescribe a review of labelling regulations to categorize packaged food items according to their nutritional value. This will help parents make an informed choice about their children's diet. Meanwhile, school health teams comprising teachers, parents and students can monitor strict implementation of the guidelines, making the fight against junk food comprehensive.
COUNTER VIEW
Who will monitor this?
Banning sale of junk food in schools is not a justifiable response to prevent child obesity and other associated risks like juvenile diabetes. Regardless of their level of hunger or preferences, children primarily consume foods, whether healthy or unhealthy, which are easily available or promoted in their immediate environments. Children's environments at home and in neighbourhoods they live, where regulation levels are low, provide more opportunities than in schools to consume junk food, including aerated and sugary soft drinks, candy bars, burgers and fries. A ban on junk food cannot solve problems which originate in children's homes and communities.
The ban will serve no purpose because there is nothing to suggest that the sale of unhealthy food or snacks within or outside school campuses can be adjudicated properly and followed strictly. Even if a ban is enforced, it will be a logistical nightmare for school authorities to check whether students sneak in junk food from home, which reinforces the point that childhood experiences and home environments profoundly affect children's dietary habits. Besides, classifying what snacks constitute junk food, given India's diverse cultures, is problematic. Do syrupy jalebis or deep fried samosas and bread pakoras qualify as junk food? Just because they are Indian snacks does not mean they are less harmful than conventional junk food.
The ban will serve no purpose because there is nothing to suggest that the sale of unhealthy food or snacks within or outside school campuses can be adjudicated properly and followed strictly. Even if a ban is enforced, it will be a logistical nightmare for school authorities to check whether students sneak in junk food from home, which reinforces the point that childhood experiences and home environments profoundly affect children's dietary habits. Besides, classifying what snacks constitute junk food, given India's diverse cultures, is problematic. Do syrupy jalebis or deep fried samosas and bread pakoras qualify as junk food? Just because they are Indian snacks does not mean they are less harmful than conventional junk food.
हमारा मत (राम राम भाई का मत ):
आज चेतना का वाहक बच्चे हैं क्रेकर -फ्री दिवाली का सन्देश बच्चे ही जन मन तक ले जा रहे हैं।माँ -बाप की
सिगरेट पीने की आदत बच्चे ही छुड़वा सकते हैं। क्योंकि सिगरेट स्मोक पूरे परिवार को नुक्सान पहुंचाता है।
आज गलत खान पान के चलते बच्चे भी मोटापा ,मधुमेह ,दिल की बीमारियों की चपेट में आने लगें हैं। इन्हें कहा जा
रहा है जुवेनाइल लाइफ स्टाइल डिज़ीज़ीज़। बचपन में ही पड़ती है गलत खानपानऔऱ तद्जनित जीवन
शैली रोग की नींव।
बच्चों के
कहे ही आज तमाम किस्म की उपभोक्ता सामिग्री घर में आ रही है। स्कूल से सन्देश लेकर आयेंगे हमारे बच्चे।
बस एक अकेला बच्चा ,
रहता है घर में अच्छा ,
होता है धुन का पक्का
सेहतमंद और सच्चा।
Necessary for children's health
The Centre's proposal to restrict the sale and consumption of junk food in and around schools across the country is an important measure in the fight against rising lifestyle diseases. In guidelines framed, the government proposes to restrict items such as chips, fries, colas, chocolates, burgers and samosas inside school canteens and within 50 m of school premises. Simultaneously, it pitches for a uniform education policy to encourage children to switch over to a healthier diet. Given the enormity of the challenge, restricting junk food in schools is a necessary first step.
There's no denying that children today are continuously bombarded with a range of processed food items that are high on unhealthy fats, sugar and salt. Fast food retailers devise clever marketing techniques to specifically target children and push their products. However, excessive consumption of junk food has led to a global childhood obesity problem. An estimated 17.6 million children under the age of five are overweight worldwide. This in turn has heightened the risk of cardiovascular diseases, Type-II diabetes, hypertension and certain forms of cancer. Several studies show a high intake of junk food diminishes a child's mental growth and learning abilities. Add to this WHO's recent recommendations advocating drastic cuts in sugar products for both children and adults.
Of course, it's not possible to completely cut out children's access to junk food. However, restricting unhealthy processed foods in schools is an effective way to educate children about their harmful effects. In this context, it's welcome that the government's guidelines prescribe a review of labelling regulations to categorize packaged food items according to their nutritional value. This will help parents make an informed choice about their children's diet. Meanwhile, school health teams comprising teachers, parents and students can monitor strict implementation of the guidelines, making the fight against junk food comprehensive.
COUNTER VIEW
Who will monitor this?
Banning sale of junk food in schools is not a justifiable response to prevent child obesity and other associated risks like juvenile diabetes. Regardless of their level of hunger or preferences, children primarily consume foods, whether healthy or unhealthy, which are easily available or promoted in their immediate environments. Children's environments at home and in neighbourhoods they live, where regulation levels are low, provide more opportunities than in schools to consume junk food, including aerated and sugary soft drinks, candy bars, burgers and fries. A ban on junk food cannot solve problems which originate in children's homes and communities.
The ban will serve no purpose because there is nothing to suggest that the sale of unhealthy food or snacks within or outside school campuses can be adjudicated properly and followed strictly. Even if a ban is enforced, it will be a logistical nightmare for school authorities to check whether students sneak in junk food from home, which reinforces the point that childhood experiences and home environments profoundly affect children's dietary habits. Besides, classifying what snacks constitute junk food, given India's diverse cultures, is problematic. Do syrupy jalebis or deep fried samosas and bread pakoras qualify as junk food? Just because they are Indian snacks does not mean they are less harmful than conventional junk food.
The ban will serve no purpose because there is nothing to suggest that the sale of unhealthy food or snacks within or outside school campuses can be adjudicated properly and followed strictly. Even if a ban is enforced, it will be a logistical nightmare for school authorities to check whether students sneak in junk food from home, which reinforces the point that childhood experiences and home environments profoundly affect children's dietary habits. Besides, classifying what snacks constitute junk food, given India's diverse cultures, is problematic. Do syrupy jalebis or deep fried samosas and bread pakoras qualify as junk food? Just because they are Indian snacks does not mean they are less harmful than conventional junk food.
हमारा मत (राम राम भाई का मत ):
आज चेतना का वाहक बच्चे हैं क्रेकर -फ्री दिवाली का सन्देश बच्चे ही जन मन तक ले जा रहे हैं।माँ -बाप की
सिगरेट पीने की आदत बच्चे ही छुड़वा सकते हैं। क्योंकि सिगरेट स्मोक पूरे परिवार को नुक्सान पहुंचाता है।
आज गलत खान पान के चलते बच्चे भी मोटापा ,मधुमेह ,दिल की बीमारियों की चपेट में आने लगें हैं। इन्हें कहा जा
रहा है जुवेनाइल लाइफ स्टाइल डिज़ीज़ीज़। बचपन में ही पड़ती है गलत खानपानऔऱ तद्जनित जीवन
शैली रोग की नींव।
बच्चों के
कहे ही आज तमाम किस्म की उपभोक्ता सामिग्री घर में आ रही है। स्कूल से सन्देश लेकर आयेंगे हमारे बच्चे।
बस एक अकेला बच्चा ,
रहता है घर में अच्छा ,
होता है धुन का पक्का
सेहतमंद और सच्चा।
बहुत सुंदर आलेख ।
जवाब देंहटाएंबहुत सुन्दर प्रस्तुति...!
जवाब देंहटाएं--
आपकी इस प्रविष्टि् की चर्चा आज रविवार (16-03-2014) को "रंगों के पर्व होली की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएँ" (चर्चा मंच-1553) पर भी है!
--
सूचना देने का उद्देश्य है कि यदि किसी रचनाकार की प्रविष्टि का लिंक किसी स्थान पर लगाया जाये तो उसकी सूचना देना व्यवस्थापक का नैतिक कर्तव्य होता है।
--
रंगों के पर्व होली की हार्दिक शुभकामनाओं के साथ।
सादर...!
डॉ.रूपचन्द्र शास्त्री 'मयंक'