Children still do not have access to healthy food at primary school, the Australian Medical Association says.
A national survey of 12,000 secondary school students has revealed a "chronic disease time bomb" among our adolescents -- a quarter of students are overweight or obese.
AMA Victoria president Harry Hemley has outlined his worries about school canteen compliance with the School Canteens and Other School Food Services Policy in a letter to Education Minister Martin Dixon. Under the guidelines, schools should restrict food high in fat, sugar and salt and enforce a ban on soft drinks and confectionery.
The latest Education Department audit of levels of compliance was carried out in 2009. It showed 13 per cent of more than 100 schools surveyed were still not compliant.
Victorian Principals Association president Gabrielle Leigh said schools not complying needed more help from government.
"Everybody wants to provide the best services to the community, and it's getting tougher to run a financially viable canteen," she said.
Meanwhile, a Cancer Council-Heart Foundation survey of secondary school students has highlighted an alarming number of unhealthy Australian teens.
More than three-quarters of teens, from years 8-11, do not eat enough vegetables, 85 per cent of children do not exercise enough and at least 40 per cent eat fast food once a week.
Cancer Council Australia chief executive Ian Olver said the findings were a wake-up call.
"Today's teenagers may die younger than their parents' generation, for the first time," he said.作者: liyuefu 时间: 17-2-2011 18:36
SNAP shot of our secondary students.
