KEY POINTS:
Government rules compelling schools to remove unhealthy foods from their tuckshops is the only way to make it happen, a public health academic says.
Associate Professor Robert Scragg's strong views on the need for tougher controls on the food supply are supported by Wellington diabetes specialist and healthy-food campaigner Dr Robyn Toomath.
She says the obese are powerless to control their eating, given their genetic inheritance and an environment which promotes over-consumption of energy-packed foods.
They both addressed the International Diabetes Federation conference in Wellington yesterday.
Professor Scragg, of Auckland University, would not criticise schools over their general failure so far to improve the food in their tuckshops, saying they wanted to change but lacked the incentives needed.
"They have been progressively underfunded over the years. They contract out [the tuckshop] and it generates revenue for them."
But since the Government unveiled its Food and Beverage Classification System for schools and early childhood centres last year, "the feedback from schools is that they are taking it seriously. We tried to get voluntary change, but didn't get much, but once the Government says, they do it".
The system, to be in place by June, categorises foods and drinks as items that can be eaten either every day (like sandwiches or rolls), sometimes (like pizza or muffins) or occasionally (like pies, sausages and chocolate). Schools are advised to offer "occasional" foods no more than once a term.
Around 10 per cent of New Zealand children were obese in the first national survey in 2002 and 21 per cent were overweight and Professor Scragg cited research showing the problem has worsened since.
He said the kinds of legislative and tax controls used on tobacco were needed for food, including on the advertising of unhealthy foods, and taxes on sugary drinks.
Dr Toomath said the Government had got it wrong by believing that fat people made bad choices. Giving them more information was pointless.
"Free will has no place in the determination of body size. Fat people are desperate to be thin. They don't need to be told how to do it."
But the Health Ministry said she had misinterpreted its eating and activity policy, which focused both on changing the "obesogenic environment" and improving personal health.
FATTENING HABITS
* The least physically active children from 5-14 years old have an average body mass index (BMI) of 20.1, compared with 18.6 for the most active.
* The average BMI of those who don't eat breakfast at home is 22.1; for those who usually eat breakfast at home it's 18.7.
* Never bring lunch from home, 21.7, usually bring lunch from home, 18.8.
* Buy most of their food during the school day from a dairy or takeaway, 19.3; bring it all from home, 18.7.
* Consume 3 or more sugary drinks a day, 19.7; fewer than 4 a week, 18.8.
* Watch TV for 2 or more hours a day, 20.1; less than 1 hour a day, 18.5.
* 1 unit of BMI equates to about 2kg of body weight in younger children, and 2-3kg in older children.
Source: Auckland University analysis of 2002 National Children's Nutrition Survey
