Schools need to implement a ‘water only’ policy

As Lent begins I am calling on the Minister for Health, Dr. James Reilly TD, to encourage schools to ban the consumption of fizzy drinks on campus. These types of initiatives have been rolled out in schools in the UK and could be introduced in tandem with a drive for healthier lunches.

Schools need to be persuaded to implement healthy eating and drinking policies in order to ensure that bad habits are caught early and childhood obesity is reduced.

Some children and teenagers regularly drink sugary drinks, unaware that consuming just one of these drinks a day can considerably add to your calorie intake. A can of cola contains approximately eight teaspoons of sugar and according to some reports, other soft drinks can contain as many as twenty plus spoonfuls of sugar. For this reason alone it is important that children do not see fizzy drinks as a part of their routine and rather as an occasional special treat.

Obesity is a huge problem in Ireland and across the western world. According to a recent UCC study, the cost to Ireland from obesity is in excess of €1.1 billion per year.

Worryingly, a Growing up in Ireland study found that a quarter of thirteen year olds are overweight and 19% of children are overweight at age nine. Children are vulnerable to developing bad habits as they are often unaware of the consequences of their actions and as they do not practice the same level of self-control as adults. It is unrealistic to suggest that a child’s behaviour can be constantly monitored so it is important that children are actively discouraged from consuming junk foods and drinks.

Some children receive small amounts of pocket money and parents have no idea what it is spent on, with many children using this money to buy soft drinks. If fizzy drinks were not available on school premises, it would have health benefits for our children and reinforce the fact that soft drinks should be kept as sweet treats.

In order to ensure a smooth transition within schools, teachers could begin the phasing out of soft drinks by educating students on the health benefits of giving them up and on their harmful effects on their physical condition.