Ban on junk food in schools justified

Given the unhealthy side effects of fast food, The Punjab Child Rights Commission has taken a brawny decision to ban serving of junk food in the Punjab state’s schools and also has formed a committee to monitor the prohibition.

The National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights has asked all the states to implement the ban. After learning about the advice given by the national commission, majority of the schools have given a green signal but they are waiting for an official announcement from the state government to implement it.

“It is a great decision taken by the commission and we welcome it, junk food has become a menace. As it is not just making children obese and hyper active but also the reason behind the frequent illness in children,” says Laxmi Rao, Principal of Jain International School in Hyderabad.

“Not just schools but parents also should take additional care and educate children about the ill effects of the junk food as explaining it to them will help them in understanding it and avoiding it,” says Kiran Maye, a secondary school teacher.

While Dr Sreenivas Sharma, Clinical Psychiatrist from Hyderabad, worries that cutting junk food all of sudden from the children’s diet will result in serious behaviour problem which is not good for the child.

Supporting Dr Sreenivas Sharma, Jyothi Chabria, senior consultant dietician for many residential and semi residential schools in Hyderabad says, “It is not advisable to completely eradicate junk food out of kids diet all of a sudden as it doubles the craving to eat it.”

“There are many healthier options to replace the junk food. For example, ulti grain pizza base can be used in place of maida pizza base. Junk food is not just pizza and burger a lot of Indian foods like samosa and cutlet has unhealthy calories.

These foods should be gradually replaced by healthier fruit salads and soups,” she adds. Although children might not take it in a positive way majority of parents and teachers are positive about the advice of commission.

By: Vaishnavi Girish