Finally, ban on sugary drinks

For at least the last ten years, all the individuals who served as Minister of Health have expressed concern over the use of sugary drinks in schools. While some schools took the initiative and promoted a healthy lifestyle by reforming their canteens, conducting wellness programmes and observing special days of emphasis, for example World Diabetes Day, many schools did very little to promote healthy living.

The position of the Ministry of Education on the fare in school canteens was stated in a document as far back as 2007. In its Draft White Paper on Standards and Guidelines for the Operation of all Schools, there is a section on dietary services on page 74 where the following statements can be found: Paragraph 3: All school cafeterias and approved vendors must serve nutritious snacks, balanced meals and beverages as approved by the National Schools Dietary Services.

Paragraph 4: Foods that are high in sugar, salt, sodium, monosodium glutamate, fat or caffeine content shall not be sold at schools.

Those paragraphs were contained in a January 2007 document.

Hopefully the ban will be implemented and the Ministries of Health and Education will initiate health promotion activities for parents and students, and also the general population.

Ian Green Couva .