Media release

From the Minister for Education and Training

Monday, 16 October 2006

CANDY BANNED IN SCHOOLS UNDER FOOD REVOLUTION

In an Australian first confectionery is being banned from sale in every Government school across Victoria.

The Minister for Education and Training Lynne Kosky today announced the tough new measures as part of a wide ranging crackdown on the availability of junk food in school canteens.

Launching a new ‘Go for your life’ Healthy Canteen Kit, Ms Kosky said confectionery provided no nutritional value, was high in kilojoules and should not be sold in school canteens.

“The health and wellbeing of young Victorians is an issue of strong community concern and a priority for the Bracks Government,” Ms Kosky said.

“Research shows an alarming one in four children are overweight or obese.

“Schools should be leading by example. Why teach about the benefits of healthy eating if the same message is not mirrored in other parts of the school?

“When used daily, the school canteen can provide one third of a child’s dietary intake and can have a significant impact on health and nutrition.

“I have ordered the phasing out of confectionery from school canteens beginning from next year. By the end of 2008, no confectionery will be sold in Government school canteens.

Ms Kosky said that while a wide range of food was currently available in school canteens, new rules also to be mandated from next year would seriously restrict the sale of junk food while healthy food will be available daily.

Under the Government school healthy food revolution, food and drink is classified into three categories:

Everyday, healthy foods that are the most suitable for canteens and should be promoted, including fruits, vegetables, breads, cereals, rice, pasta, lean meat, reduced fat milk, yogurt and cheese;
Select Carefully, contain some valuable nutrients but may also include unhealthy ingredients. Servings should be smaller and have limited availability; and
Occasionally, foods high in saturated fat, kilojoules and sodium, that can only be made available twice each term.

Ms Kosky said the Bracks Government first introduced canteen guidelines encouraging the sale of healthy and nutritious food in 2003.

“Since then schools and students have embraced the healthy eating message, but we can always do more. I am sure they will continue to see the benefits of living a healthy active lifestyle.”
Six months after announcing the phasing out of the sale of high sugar content soft drinks in Victorian Government Schools from 2007, Ms Kosky today also said the sale of energy or sports drinks and some flavoured mineral waters with high sugar content would not be permitted next year.

“A recent Government survey showed Victorian teenagers are treating soft drink like it is water, with more than one in three teenagers drinking nearly two cans of high sugar content drinks each day,” Ms Kosky said.

“Alarmingly, nearly one in ten are drinking more than a litre of high calorie sweet drinks a day.”

Ms Kosky said different brands and variety of products of food and drink may fit into separate categories, depending on the level of energy, saturated fat or sodium per 100 grams of food.

“Schools will be given information to help them make the best decision, but I expect common sense to prevail,” Ms Kosky said.

Ms Kosky also announced Healthy Start grants of up to $6,000 for 530 government primary schools to help fund healthier school environments, including the purchase of healthy cooking equipment, or bike sheds to encourage active transport.

The Minister said the Bracks Government’s action on school canteens, followed parent and community concern about increasing childhood obesity.

A recent survey of parents by Parents Victoria revealed:

92 per cent of parents were supportive of healthy changes to the school’s food service;
89 per cent of participants thought that eliminating soft drinks would make a positive contribution to student health and well being; and
most parents surveyed were in favor of a restriction in the sale of confectionery from school.

Ms Kosky said the new canteen policy and accompanying education package reinforced the Government’s ‘Go for your life’ campaign, which promotes healthy lifestyles through more physical activity and healthy eating to address the rising prevalence of obesity and diabetes.

Victoria is the only state or territory to mandate school sport and physical education at both a primary and secondary school level.

“It is vital we act now and that Government, parents, schools, business and the community work together to ensure our young people grow up to be healthy, active adults,” Ms Kosky said.

The food and drink categories are consistent with the Australian Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents and have been developed by health and nutrition experts.

HEALTHY CANTEENS

Everyday

Schools should encourage and promote these foods as the main choice at the canteen and other school events, presenting them in attractive and interesting ways. Everyday foods include:

Breads, grains, rice, pasta, noodles, breakfast cereals,
Vegetables,
Fruits,
Reduced or low fat diary foods such as cheese, milk and yoghurt,
Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs and legumes, and
Water.

Select Carefully

Select Carefully foods and drinks, should not dominate the menu, offered as small servings and only on certain days of the week or a limited selling time. They will be subject to nutrient criteria for each product but could include:

Full fat diary products,
Processed meats,
Commercially prepared hot foods,
Margarines, oils, spreads, sauces and gravies,
Snack food bars such as breakfast, cereal and fruit bars,
Some cakes, muffins, sweet biscuits and slices, and
Low or reduced fat ice creams.

Occasionally

These products should only be made available to students two times a term (eight times a year). They have no or little nutritional value and can be high in saturated fat, added sugar and added salt. They include:

Deep fried foods,
Pastry based or crumbed hot foods,
Savory snack foods like chips or biscuits,
Full fat ice creams, ice confections and icy poles, and
Some cakes, danishes, croissants.

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