Secondary schools may be the reason why children are becoming obese
Filed under:
Health, Learnings & Education
It seems like the availability of unhealthy snacks in post-primary schools may be causing our children to be obese.
The Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn thinks that secondary schools should not have vending machines that sell ‘junk food’ and plans to do something to change the current situation.
The findings from a Lifeskills survey also found that the majority of schools across Ireland do not meet the two-hour PE requirement per week.
More than 90% of secondary schools do not provide children with the recommended P.E class that is required by the Department of Education.
Primary schools have already reduced the availability of sweets and crisps sold in school shops and vending machines, but this change is yet to happen at secondary level.
As noted by the report, “The prominence of vending machines and school shops that sell junk food in a significant cohort of post-primary schools is a particular problem. Schools should proactively address this important area, particularly in light of the growing obesity phenomenon.”
Obesity is still a major health issue among young children today. Hopefully secondary schools will recognise this as being a problem that can be prevented by finally providing children with the healthy snacks that their bodies need.
