MANGALORE: The Union ministry of health recently made a suggestion to shun junk food and carbonated drinks in
school and college canteens. Though most college canteens in undivided
Dakshina Kannada district serve junk food and carbonated drinks, schools
in the region are taking measures to prevent students taking to
unhealthy food habits.
Students of Yenepoya School are not allowed to bring either lunch or breakfast to the school. Since 2007, the school authorities have been serving vegetarian breakfast and lunch for its students.
Manjunath CK, principal told TOI that the move is aimed at preventing students from eating junk food. Welcoming the health ministry's suggestion, Manjunath said, "We are not providing carbonated drinks. Instead we give them fruits three times in a week."
However, there is confusion regarding eatables that come under junk food category. Though junk food has not been defined under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, the Union ministry of health has consider food items with high fat, salt and sugar and with little or no protein, minerals and vitamins as unhealthy foods.
Presidency School has a cafeteria and students can either bring lunch from home or can have it in cafeteria. Kailash Pawar, principal, said that they offer pure fruit juice made in cafeteria to students. "We offer puffs and samosas and we are confused whether it is a junk food or not. If the government terms these two eatables as junk food, we will stop serving it," he added.
Cambridge School also has a similar cafeteria system.
TC Shivashankara Murthy, vice-chancellor of Mangalore University said , "We are not aware of the suggestion of withdrawing junk food. But we will ask the canteen committee to submit a report on this suggestion. Based on the report, we will take a decision as to withdraw junk food in the canteen."
Dr K Ramnarayan, vice-chancellor of Manipal University, said this is positive initiative by the government in view of students' health. "But it is left to students to decide what kind of food they want to consume. If government asks colleges to withdraw junk food and carbonated drinks from canteens compulsorily, we will stop serving it," he added.
Students of Yenepoya School are not allowed to bring either lunch or breakfast to the school. Since 2007, the school authorities have been serving vegetarian breakfast and lunch for its students.
Manjunath CK, principal told TOI that the move is aimed at preventing students from eating junk food. Welcoming the health ministry's suggestion, Manjunath said, "We are not providing carbonated drinks. Instead we give them fruits three times in a week."
However, there is confusion regarding eatables that come under junk food category. Though junk food has not been defined under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, the Union ministry of health has consider food items with high fat, salt and sugar and with little or no protein, minerals and vitamins as unhealthy foods.
Presidency School has a cafeteria and students can either bring lunch from home or can have it in cafeteria. Kailash Pawar, principal, said that they offer pure fruit juice made in cafeteria to students. "We offer puffs and samosas and we are confused whether it is a junk food or not. If the government terms these two eatables as junk food, we will stop serving it," he added.
Cambridge School also has a similar cafeteria system.
TC Shivashankara Murthy, vice-chancellor of Mangalore University said , "We are not aware of the suggestion of withdrawing junk food. But we will ask the canteen committee to submit a report on this suggestion. Based on the report, we will take a decision as to withdraw junk food in the canteen."
Dr K Ramnarayan, vice-chancellor of Manipal University, said this is positive initiative by the government in view of students' health. "But it is left to students to decide what kind of food they want to consume. If government asks colleges to withdraw junk food and carbonated drinks from canteens compulsorily, we will stop serving it," he added.
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