A healthy lesson

Many of the chronic diseases affecting the country — and also putting pressure on our health infrastructure — can be avoided by a better quality of intervention on the part of the State. It is true that we each of us control our lifestyles and habits, but if we are really serious about addressing public health issues we must realize that health is not just a question of the volition of an individual. Every single choice a person makes comes in the context of a specific history as well as social, community and family context.

The decision to better manage the food and drink offered for sale to students at school acknowledges that in the end our decisions are influenced by environmental factors. We can tell children overly sugary drinks are bad. But that will not be enough to sway them if they see students in the school yard and in the cafeteria indulging in the latest sugar crave or energy drink. Peer pressure is powerful.

It has also been suggested that some forms of foods rich in sugar and carbohydrates are addictive.

Meaning, once a child is accustomed to a certain palate, it may be hard to wean them off.

The more responsible course of action is to get the vendors to sell only the healthiest of options.

As such we are heartened by the decision of the Ministry of Health to mandate that, come September, only 100 percent fruit juices will be available to students. Ideally, this screening system should graduate to looking at the snacks and foodstuff offered as meals. These are the kinds of interventions necessary if we are to effectively tackle our high rates of juvenile diabetes and childhood obesity. However, while there is rightly much focus on chronic non-communicable diseases, other matters also call for attention.

As noted recently by Dr Yansie Rolston it must not be forgotten that when dealing with medical issues, patients are not to be regarded merely as machines.

The physical picture is tied to the mental and social as well. Many food disorders begin in childhood and are linked to emotional considerations. There is a reason why we talk of “binge eating” and “comfort foods”. If a person is under mental and social stresses, they are more likely to be at risk of physical ailments.

More work needs to be done when it comes to offering our students better access to counseling, particularly in secondary school.

And just as we need to keep an eye on the physical and mental well-being of students, we must never forget the role of social factors in their overall well-being as well. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than in the arena of education about sexually transmitted infections. While we focus on diabetes and obesity, we must not lose sight of equally pressing threats such as HIV/ AIDS and STIs. We must ensure students have access to sexual health information and are encouraged to adopt best practices.

Abstinence is often venerated as the ideal prescription. But — as countless social media videos set in schools have taught us — that ideal is not a realistic expectation in a world where we no longer have shame about being sexually expressive. We must assume our secondary school students need the information about condom use and regular testing that will serve them well.

The human being is a complex, sensitive and sacred thing.

Mental health goes alongside physical health, which is affected by stress, emotions and sexuality.

Sugar is something we need to be weary of. But it is not the only thing we need to keep an eye on