KEY POINTS:
Here is an earlier selection of Your Views:
Kim Auckland
There is a link between poverty and obesity in children. Cheap food is laden with sugar, fat and chemicals. Children who are obese have a lifetime of medical problems and will probably (but not always) become a burden on the state health system and the taxpayer for life. Diabetes, heart disease, and depression have grown exponentially in the last ten years and are the biggest drain on taxpayer funded health programmes. All of these health problems are linked to obesity. Additionally children who are on sugar highs and lows are problems for teachers to manage in crowded and underfunded class rooms. I hate for the state to be big brother, but the truth is that the poorest, least educated people in society are the people having children. They don't know how to feed or can't afford to feed themselves properly much less their children. NZ society has changed. More people are living in big cities and are eating imported manufactured food. We've moved away from being an agrarian society where everyone has a small plot of veggies out the back. Our taxes our high enough and our health system bad enough that I'm ready for more rules and regulations regarding what everyone eats.
Timothy
I noticed a big improvement in behaviour and learning, when our school got rid of the junk at the tuck shop. It lasted until our principal was tempted to bring in machines dispensing chocolates, chips, cola, etc. and it was all undone. His reasoning was that it brought extra revenue to the school and the kids would buy it at the shops anyway.By that same reasoning, we could be selling them drugs, cigarettes and alcohol at the tuck shop. Come on, get a clue principals. So vandalism and bullying increased, the roll dropped, the principal left. It was a big lose, lose situation.The kids will listen if it is pointed out that healthy foods have a big pay off in concentration and achievement.I am such a big fan of the move to get rid of the junk..
Fee
I'm all for this. Kids may be able to get unhealthy food from dairies - that doesn't mean schools should enable them to get it on the premises. It sends a message that schools mean what they say when they promote a healthy diet in the classroom.
Responsible parent
Make no mistake I can't wait to see the back of this tax and spend socialist nightmare of a government but this one they have got right. Get the rubbish out of school canteens. Too many kids are not capable of making sensible eating choices and too many parents are too lazy or ignorant to educate and look after their kids. Sure they can go and buy the rubbish elsewhere but it should not be available in schools. Don't think we have a major problem with obesity and overweight kids and adults - spend 5 minutes at McDonalds.
Rosemary
I am happy with the government's move to ban junk food in schools.However, it is a shame they will be allowing "diet" soft drinks containing saccharine or aspartame, but banning full fat milk.Milk fat contains Vitamins A and D, and conjugated linoleic acid which helps fight cancer. Full-fat milk was once supplied to all children attending school, with no resulting obesity epidemic. On the other hand, I do not know of any nutritional content in diet soft drinks.
Tanya
When does it stop? First we are told how to discipline our children (no smacking law) and now we are being told what they can and cannot have for lunch at school. With all the problems we have in this country, was this necessary?
Fran Hume
I have a "healthy food"" business, and we promte ready made mini meals into many schools around NZ. Obviously, as a business trying to do somethig about it, we are in support of the govt, however, the schools tuck shop operators can not be made fully responsible for what they serve. If the government are serious about making changes, they should put out a tender, and have an "Approved Suupplier" list in conjunction with supplies of healthy product. For some schools they are not educated in "where to buy" healthier products, and are often serviced by small operators only supplying rubbish and healthy snacks. There needs to be a constant advertising campaign alongside the healthier suppliers to educate these schools into where to purchase products and help the schools make the changes. We have distributors nationwide, however, passing this message to all schools is a harsh task. Our products have also been highlighted in overseas markets on behalf of NZ, and we have been endorsed by Prof Jim Mann in Otago Univertisty for our common sense approach to this issue. We would be happy to take the lead on this one! www.yummytummies.com
Denise (Nelson)
This has been welll signalled in Mission On last year. If kids cant buy junk food from schools, if nothing else it limits their options. It is lunacy on the one hand to be spouting healthier food messages and then sanctioning schools use of junk food for the all mighty buck on the other. Get over it schools. If you are already doing it, then good on you. Local schools have for years been providing healthy options.it wont be an issue.
Jason (Akl)
If eating well is a parental decision why shouldn't schools support it? Are people trying to say that a parent can spend all day and all night trying to teach children to eat well, but then when they get to school everyone can just give up, and the kids with their money and freedom can do whatever? A little guidance from the school doesnt hurt. No-one is saying that this is not a parental issue - where does this attack come from?
SB
Wow, I can not believe people are actually moaning about this! Especially the ones claiming children will go to dairy and shops instead of the tuck shop. While this may be true for before and after school (when the tuck shop is not open anyway) it would not apply during school hours, because as far as I am aware, children are not allowed outside the school during school hours. How can taking away pies and soft drinks from school and replacing with healthy alternatives do anything but good? If they want to buy it from the dairy at least they will get a work out walking there. I suggest to those that are just here for another round of Labour bashing to get over yourselves and think about the potential that an initiative like this can have. Most people do not realise how important healthy eating is, and enforcing this in schools is a great idea. It is clear from NZ's expanding waist lines that most parents don't have a clue about nutritious healthy eating, best to start on the young ones to initiate new healthy habits. Of course, exercise is also of prime importance, but that is not the issue at hand here.
Harry L (Waitakere City)
I believe that it is the State's responsibility to provide a safe and secure school environment. I see removing junk food from school canteen as part of that responsibility.
G
I have trouble believing there is an obesity problem in NZ. Recently I had the chance to do some people watching in a Auckland shopping mall. My expectation was that in the thousands of people I saw on that rainy Saturday I would have been able to observe obesity (unscientific, I know, but it passed the time). I don't think this 'epidemic' exists. I think it is a political fabrication in order to keep the populace under control.
Take away the choice in schools and you do not let people learn to make good choices. My three children (15, 13, 10) are learning to make choices - parental guidance is what is required. If we don't stop these politicians, next thing they'll be voting to appoint another million or so of them, to hold our mouths open and force feed us (at our own expense no doubt).
Grandmother to school children
Given the obesity epidemic on the rise amongst our children, it is long overdue for the Government to step in and decide what cannot be sold in school tuck shops given the unhealthy choices that children are offered on a daily basis now. Sadly, their irresponsible parents will probably still feed them pies, chips, cheesey pizzas and fizzy drinks at home, but at least while at school their diet will be good for them, and who knows they may well grow to develop a taste for healthy food and snacks. After all they cost no more than the rubbish, sometimes far less.
Matty
Sure the obesity rate is going up and up and up. But is the junk food sold at schools to blame? Possibly. However, I don't believe this is the case. As I recall, there was an ad on TV, the scene was set in the woods, and a tree fell onto a tent. The voice over said, 'Outdoors is dangerous. Stay inside and play the new range of PlayStation 3 games' or something with similar effect. Staying indoors on a summers day, sitting on a sofa with your eyes fixed on a 49" plasma HDTV, and thumbs glued to plastic buttons of a PS3 or WII controller is no substitute for going outside and getting exercise. I believe this is (one of) the reason(s) of the ever increasing rate of fat accumulating in our bodies. So perhaps we shouldn't -just- replace the pies and lollies and Coca-Cola from our school canteen shelves with sandwiches, lettuce and carrots, but instead we should log off World Of Warcraft, disconnect our broadband, and buy a rugby ball. I'm sure a rubgy ball comes complete with instructions, in case kids these days don't know how to power it on.
Rachael
This is another ridiculous example of the Goverment taking basic parental responsibilities away from parents. The Government feels compelled to make more and more decisions for us these days. And while there are a lot of young people becoming parents now that perhaps didn't have a good up-bringing, and can't or don't know what is best for their children's wellbeing, why doesn't the Goverment work on providing education for these people and leave those of us who do have good common sense on what is right or wrong for our children, to make these decisions. After all, isn't that all a part of parenting? I think we should make the parents step up, and leave the schools to teach - not 'raise' the children. This is how things used to be, and I, along with many many other New Zealander's grew up just fine, with the tuck-shop as it was in those days.
Boysmum
You mean schools will now have to sell only organic produce/products? A chemical apple or banana is more unhealthy than a pie made from organic produced ingredients.
Friday Big Ben Pie Day
My brother and I were given $3 each Friday for lunch orders. It was so exciting. We never had our hands on any money all week until then. And mum always asked for change. Parents need to be real parents now. These kids shouldn't have money. All it is is lazy selfish parents.
Pieman
Parents, please do the following test. Answers below (don't cheat). If you do not get 100 per cent, please return your children and do not have anymore.
1. A meat pie for breakfast is: a) Not healthy b) Healthy
2. Chips and as meat pie for lunch is: a) Not healthy b) Healthy
3. Takeaways every night is: a) Not healthy b) Healthy
4. Playing computer games all night is: a) Not healthy b) Healthy
(Answers 1.a 2.a 3.a 4.a)
For those of you that failed, a van will be in your neighbourhood next Monday at 9am sharp to take your children away.
Lynsey Ellis
As a parent I welcome the changes and am curious as to the reasons for such opposition from schools. I heard the interviews on National this morning and feel the opposition arguments lacked integrity, especially the administrative issues, that the change will only affect 5 per cent of kids, and that kids will buy junk food anyway - these are not really arguments on the issue. I think schools have a huge influence on teaching and setting examples to our children and thus will do so in this area - at least I hope they do or what would be the point in sending kids to school. I'm also curious as to how many schools are receiving funds or other resources from the soft drinks and fast food companies and hope this is not behind their opposition to proposed changes.
Michael
I fully support the Government's ban on the selling of unhealthy food at school. As a secondary school teacher I am acutely aware that teaching students after lunch is difficult due to the food and drink they have consumed at lunchtime. At our school it is the norm for most students to drink 600ml of coke and eat a large packet of chips or a chocolate bar each day for lunch. I would find it difficult to function after consuming such calorific foods!
The argument that we should not ban this food because the students will buy it elsewhere or their parents will supply it is not valid. We do not apply this logic to tobacco or alcohol!
It took a law change to stop teachers at our school from smoking on school property. I think compulsion is the only thing that will make schools change in the matter of healthy food.
Shawnee (Te Kauwhata College)
I think they should not take away school snacks! We still behave the same and are able to follow the school rules. Kids at school should get a say in it to. Other than that, at the canteen all there is is a sandwhich or a roll. Plus we should be able to have something in our lunch that's exiting. And just because we are buying from the canteen does not mean that we won't buy anything healthy e.g. water and others. It gives us some energy like the fizzie drinks keep us going. Please do not ban the school snacks!
Leeah (Te Kauwhata)
So they can sell them in primary but not in secondary? I reckon that's ridiculous. Why would you let little 5-12 year olds have sugary food and not secondary students, not when secondary children are older and more responsible and primary school children just waste their money on buying it because its there to buy and cheap.
L Holmes
I believe this will not help child obesity. If children want to eat fatty food, they will hunt it down after school. If these foods are banned the kids will crave it even more. We need to teach our children everything in moderation. They can have a pie for lunch one day, but the other days need good nutrition. This is yet another subject that needs to start at home.
Lynda of TCL
When I was in primary school 20 years ago, I could buy mellopuffs and hot chips. Obesity was not a problem, anorexia was.
Jo
How good now schools can be made responsible for what our kids eat and this is going to solve the obesity problem. Come on, when is the responsibility for children going to be on their parents. Their health and welfare is on us the parents, not the schools. I have two children, one primary and one high school. I provide their lunches daily, they make their own, and know the rules. I monitor the supplies. Part of their lunch includes a Treaty bar, (Treaty bars are not brought if they don't take a sandwhich, yoghurt and two fruits). When I give my children money for lunch, maybe once or twice a month, I expect them to have a pie, donut or whatever they like and will be quite happy for them to buy this on the way to school. Come on rule makers, don't be scared lay down the rules to parents not cop out and lay it at the schools doors.
Lyn Biel
While this may seem a solution to unhealthy food, what impact will it have in reality? To ban unhealthy food in schools setting is very isolated. How many children walk past a corner dairy on the way to/from school? Will corner dairy owners voluntarily say, "I'm sorry I can't sell you those chips because they are bad for you"? We need children and families to want to eat healthy food, or at least a balanced diet, and to take responsibility for their health. Regulating schools may seem a step in the right direction but is unlikely to effect the choices of that 'already heading down the road to obesity' student.
Leeah Powell
I think we should not ban these products from the school canteen as we all deserve a treat every now and then and it fills the children up and helps them get on with their day and what's good to buy when they forget their lunch or their mum wants to treat them something good and they can't be bothered going down to the shop before dropping them off at school or the bus.
Spencer18
Kids will buy pies and crap from servos and dairies correct. But to lambaste a Government for making an effort to change a growing problem is absolute insanity. Kids need education about food. Yes, parents play a key role in that process but the school system plays an important part in that education process, for the principal in the article to state that this legislation will impact on teaching in a negative way is beyond belief. Healthy eating, healthy mind. Its an attempt to adjust the mindset for the better, as a society we have a responsibility to contribute to the health of the future generations. So instead of finger pointing and looking left and right to see who we can divert attention to, maybe we should welcome such high level attempts and see what we can do to support this change.
Bruce
Like controlling what schools can sell is going to give us healthier kids. I see school kids lining up at McDonalds while in uniform everyday of the week. Is Helen Clark's Labour Government going to start legislating what we have for dinner next? Don't laugh, they already control how you can discipline your children inside your own home!
Boysmum
You mean schools will now have to sell only organic produce/products? A chemical apple or banana is more unhealthy than a pie made from organic produced ingredients.
Sal (Auckland)
Another misleading policy solution (apart from anti-smacking bill) by the Labour Governemnt on the problem of obesity. I am frustrated about the level of misleading policy solutions implemented by this current government. First it was the anti-smacking bill aimed to countervene the level of child abuse in New Zealand. Now it is the Ban on unhealthy snacks at schools. How can this reduce the obesity level... it might....but arguably, is this the primary cause of obesity? Why are people eating unhealthy foods is there a lifestyle issue here or lack of education or perhaps poverty. Clearly I dont understand why banning unhealthy snacks at schools help to stop obesity.Surely that doesn't people from buying snacks from dairies.Watch out dairy owners you're next.
Paul (Sydney)
The next step will be to force the rest of the population to become vegetarians (organic only), ban alcohol and cigarettes and make everyone use public transport. Expect regular visits from the gestapo acting on the odd tip off you may be snacking on 'junk' late at night. Therefore keep the curtains drawn and have nothing to do with your neighbours.
Andie
Being a few years out of highschool now, I have reverted back to making my lunch each day (sandwich, fruit, museli bar etc) as I find the healthy eating of an adult when buying lunch to be more than I can afford in Auckland's society. However my 7th form year can be tracked to having BK or Fish n Chips every lunch. I didn't even go near the tuckshop. Banning these foods from schools isn't going to effect obesity issue as fast foods, bakeries and dairies seem to all be within easy walking distance of schools. And as most children don't have jobs until they are 16+, maybe the parents of the younger years be should not be as relaxed as to how much money they are giving their children and what they are spending it on?
Sue (Auckland East)
The dairies and fast food outlets near schools will make a fortune as children buy their pies and cokes on the way to school. A local school bans contact sports at lunch time in case the children get hurt!! Perhaps allowing them to eat their pies and work them off on the sports field would be a better idea.
Pete
Food is one factor, but just as important is exercise and personal responsibility - both of which are being discouraged by parents all over the country. Want proof? Try to drive past any suburban school first thing in the morning, and see all the parents who are too scared to let their kids walk outside the front gate.
Ian (Hamilton)
Part of the problem here is our dull food culture and the effort (or lack of effort) put into school lunches. However, further draconian regulations don't address this issue. It would be instructive for a lot of New Zealand adults to go to Japan or France and see what school lunches consist of in those countries. Perhaps some of our more prominent foodies could take a lead here and inspire parents and schools as to what a school lunch could consist of.
Martina (Auckland)
This will, of course, only work if the healthy food is as affordable (if not more) than the unhealthy food was. It must also be yummy as hell, otherwise the kids won't fall for it. I still think this is a great idea and long overdue, but execution is the key! The whole "blame the parents" attitude on this forum is a bit over the top. As much as a child might be trained by mum and dad to want an apple rather than a pie, they still would not walk a gazillion miles, passing a million shell stations on the way, just to get to the nearest fruit stall. These days, if it's not convenient, it may as well not exist.
Healthy yet expensive? (Auckland)
As a 17 year old girl who finished 7th form at an Auckland school last year I saw plenty of overweight adolescents, So our school decided the time had come to sell only healthy food. Sounded like a great idea and would be a good way for people to get their daily need for nutrients. Unfortunately, with healthy food comes that $4 moe you have to spend every day on a healthy lunch. What teenager between the ages of 13 and 17 has an extra $800 a year to spend on food for lunch, on top of the normal $5 you had to spend to get an unhealthy lunch. So that comes to $1800 a year on a healthy lunch. Needless to say, the local bakery made a good business selling pies for 3.20 per pie and 1.60 per can of soft drink. So, you can sneak out of school and go to the bakery and spend 960 a year on an unhealthy lunch or 1800 on a healthy lunch when you have to wait 35 minutes in line for the canteen as opposed to 20 minutes to walk to the bakery. So all in all, good plan, if it's cheap.
Tony Lee
If schools were forced to make healthy lunches compulsory, I can see this being abused.
I could imagine a kid bringing in a tiny and cheap bag of chips and a soda, have the school confiscate it and swap it for a 'healthy' lunch. If they give it back at the end of the day, it makes it all the better as they can bring it in again and again.Cost of chips and drink: ~$2 Cost of healthy lunch provided by school: $3+ Seeing schools foot the bill for a government cock up: Priceless.
Richard
So are we now in a dictatorship? The food in the schools aren't the problem, the problem is the parents not giving their children healthy meals at home, and not making the chubby little kids get up away from the TV and computer and get some exercise time outside. I went through school eating a pie nearly almost every day, my diet wasn't that great through school, but I was an outside person, always cycling, swimming, getting some form of exercise in, so I was always in good shape.
Kirsten (akld)
I have to wonder what is next from this government? Lets pull the junk food and soft drinks from the shelves? I mean come on Labour. While I believe that this is good in theory I can not see it working. As so many have said. Diaries will do a roaring trade on the way to school or at lunchtimes. I want my sons to eat healthy and will always encourage fruit over chips but why not make these items cheaper. Fruit and vegetables should be cheaper and readily available to all incomes rather than snack bars and chocolates. Price them out of the range. Make it truly a sometimes snack. Cause I am not going to buy something that is unbelievably expensive for a snack.
Paul
Yet another example of a band-aid fix without any thought to the real underlying issues. Maybe this Labour governments time on office will be remembered as the "ban it years". Which personal freedom or responsibility will be the next to go?
pCb (Auckland)
Brilliant! I'm off to buy the dairy next to my kids school where you see a regular flow of parents buying their kids brightly colored drink and snack food. Lets be totally clear tuck shops aren't the only culprit here and as one correspondent said they are only supplying demand.This is shown in one attempt I know of to supply health food where the kids organised their own food supply and the teachers asked for the old pies to be brought back.
Luke Mason
Although there is a perception that it may be too little, too late or it hasn't gone far enough. It is still a step in the right direction, and if you can educate children about healthy food and what a healthy diet can do for them, then it will eradicate the junk food culture quicker than doing nothing.. It is definitely a step in the right direction.
Andy
Has this Government really nothing better to do? Regulating for the sake of regulating is a sure sign of a tired Government trying to keep itself busy. If you can imagine Barney the Purple Dinosaur making the laws in Wellington, that's what is likely to happen next. So watch for "even tougher" smoking and drinking laws next -- they're usually good for a few more regulations. And don't forget about child booster seats: a seriously cold issue that is just screaming out for a regulation or two. Oh yeah, a couple more dangerous breeds to be added to dog regulations. What next? More rules about firearms: those BB guns need regulating before somebody loses an eye! Maybe a central database in Wellington for licencing pet cats? There would be some serious revenue potential in that! Yeah, that's the ticket!
NeillR
Another Labour bungle - and more proof that they have run out of ideas. The first thing that will happen is kids will buy their food from shops down the road that aren't subject to the same restrictions. School tuckshops will likely suffer and close as a result, and the funding deficit will need to made up by higher taxes.Why doesn't the government tackle the job that they were elected to do - like stopping rampant local government spending, (stopping their own rampant spending would event be a start) and leave childrens health to those who know best - parents.
Sarah (Howick)
Although well-intentioned, this ban is unlikely to solve the problem of students' perception of pies, chips and chocolate as desirable, the kind of food they 'should' be able to have. Media focus on food and nutrition issues always seems to be negative; we are always told either about people starving themselves with eating disorders or people eating themselves to death. I'd love to see a nightly TV spot showcasing an ordinary person (they could be chosen from a variety of locations and walks of life) who is getting it about right! They would be good role models and would give people some reassurance and encouragement that it IS possible to get your nutrition right without it being a constant worry.
Martina (Auckland)
At school, I used to throw my sandwiches in the bin in exchange for some fatty corn chips and a paddle pop from the school tuck shop. I don't remember there being any healthy food options (unless shepherds pie counts as a vegetable), but to be honest, I probably would not have picked them even if they were there! This ban will surely have kids eating their home-packed lunches again, or at least trading them for something worthwhile. Could we make sure that the healthy snack alternatives are yummy too though? Only a gladwrapped soggy egg sandwich on offer might have kids becoming anorexic instead of obese.Now, if only we could force Subway to offer some healthy drinks and snacks to go along with their sandwiches, instead of soft drinks and cookies!
Anne (Auckland)
Weight gain doesn't surprise me. It's probably all the smokers who've given up. This society is chasing the demon around from one symptom to another, via the self-righteous right who think they know the way everyone should live. They won't succeed in creating better health by ever increasing rules/laws, the absence of freedom and constantly growing criminilisation of the population. Perhaps it's time we recognised that these are symptoms of a very stressed social population - weight gain, smoking, suicide, drug/alcohol use, child abuse, anger problems, violence, etc. etc. Start acting to remove the excessive stress from this society and let it serve the people instead of the people serving it. We need values to live by or no-one knows where they are and we no longer have any. Some wanted to create a valueles
