Study details EU school food policies for the first time
The Joint Research Centre has published the first comprehensive report on school food policies in Europe. The report shows that European countries acknowledge the important contribution of school food to children’s health, development and performance at school.
The report is released on the backdrop of the European Commission’s efforts to help reduce childhood obesity. The report found that over 90% of the policies studied contain food-based standards to ensure balanced menus, in addition to portion size guidance (76%) and nutrient-based standards for lunch (65%).
Moreover, the report found that restrictions or recommendations relating to the availability of beverages are very common (65-82%), with the majority supporting (free) access to fresh drinking water and specifically limiting or banning (sugar-sweetened) soft drinks. Improving child nutrition, teaching healthy diet and lifestyle habits and reducing or preventing childhood obesity are the primary general goals shared by most countries.
The European Commissioner for Health, Tonio Borg, said: “Schools are important partners in our efforts to encourage children to develop healthy eating habits, so they can grow up in good health, perform well at school and develop to their full potential. This first assessment of school food policies is therefore an important contribution to our fight against obesity.”
Adding her thoughts, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner responsible for Research, Innovation and Science, said: “This report provides a good basis for European policy makers, educators and scientists to investigate potential links between school food policies and public health and evaluate the effectiveness of promoting healthy eating habits.”
The report maps the most recent national policy documents for standards and guidelines on food available in primary and secondary schools. It describes these policies according to common criteria, such as foods that are allowed or banned, nutrient levels, dining facilities, catering services and marketing restrictions All the countries studied (28 EU member states, Norway and Switzerland) have guidelines for school food, although these vary considerably.
You can read the report here.
