No more junk food at Fiji schools
October 31st, 2011 - 1:56 pm ICT by IANSSuva, Oct 31 (IANS) Fiji wants all school canteens to just sell fruits and vegetables.
Fiji’s health ministry said Monday that it wants all school canteens in the island nation to enforce rules that promote healthy eating habits.
Health ministry spokesperson Peni Namotu said health inspectors will monitor schools to ensure guidelines are followed, reported Xinhua.
The sale of oily food, sweets and fizzy drinks at the canteens are a major concern, said Namotu, adding school canteens should be selling fruit as well as vegetables and fruit juice.
He said those schools which failed to comply with the guidelines should face legal action.
Fiji spends 39 percent of its health budget to tackle obesity and related problems.
Health Minister Neil Sharma said mothers in the island nation were breastfeeding their infants less, and spending more money and time on formula and bottle feed.
In Fiji, a ban will soon be placed on junk food advertising.
- Inactive life style leading to rise in unhealthy Fijians - Jan 21, 2012
- Junk foods should be out of school canteens: NGO - Nov 09, 2010
- Junk food ban plea: Food product makers move court (Lead) - Nov 02, 2011
- Junk food: High Court seeks guidelines - Jan 11, 2012
- Government mulls curbs on junk food in schools - Jul 18, 2011
- Court to centre: ban junk food from school, college canteens - Oct 05, 2011
- Shun junk food for improving kid's IQ - Aug 08, 2012
- Eat light, healthy food to stay cool this summer: Doctors - May 17, 2012
- Students campaign against junk food - Dec 19, 2011
- 'Junk food' moms have 'junk food' babies - Mar 24, 2011
- Teens junking healthy lifestyle kiss happiness away - Mar 04, 2012
- NGO files petition to ban junk food in schools - Dec 21, 2010
- Court questions government on junk food ban in schools - Dec 22, 2010
- China issues new rules on fresh juice - Aug 05, 2010
- Coke to pull out of Mexican schools to promote anti-obesity drive - Jun 11, 2010
Tags: fizzy drinks, fruit juice, fruits and vegetables, health budget, health inspectors, health minister, health ministry, healthy eating habits, island nation, junk food advertising, namotu, neil sharma, obesity, oct 31, oily food, peni, school canteens, spokesperson, sweets, xinhua