Should junk food be banned in schools?

JUNK IT: Kids in the age 6-14 are increasingly getting addicted to junk food.

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New Delhi: “I like to eat chips in my canteen, burgers and cold drinks,” says 8-year-old Natasha, a class four student at a Delhi school. She is just one of the many kids today in the age group of 6-14 who are getting increasingly addicted to junk food.

Not really a surprise then that obesity is hitting home younger than ever—with 1 in 4 children in the Capital found to be obese.

Take 13-year-old Udit Mishra, who sees no reason to change his eating habits. "I love eating junk food," he says.

But if a children's panel has its way, the choice won't be his for long, at least not while he's in school. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has recommended that state governments across the country must ban all junk food and carbonated drinks in schools.

While the Commission has declined to comment on the issue, this is still a request and not a directive. So it remains to be seen what action schools choose to take.

Of course the nutritionists think it's a step in the right direction. “The short term effects of junk food consumption are allergies, hair fall, poor stamina, digestive issues. On long term it may cause adult diseases like type 2 diabetes, blood pressure, poor concentration, hormonal disorders and even cancer,” says Nutritionist Ishi Khosla.

But giving up junk food might not be that simple. Parents have their own concerns. “I'm happy about the order to ban junk food from schools but the concern is quality of food,” says Nandini Mishra Udit's mother.

This recommendation by a children's panel is clearly a steppingstone towards ensuring healthy lifestyle for children. But whether it becomes successful or not depends upon the extent to which parents and school authorities are willing to cooperate

And the main players in this whole situation, students, might also not be that easy to work around.

“We love Lays chips also because they are packaged. These are not as unhygienic as open food,” said Tanvi Mishra a student. “Thousands of kids at our school will have to eat daal chawal. That’s not happening,” she adds.

Clearly, parents will have their work cut out for them, to ensure that children are left with equally attractive but healthy options.