Unhealthy for schoolchildren to rely on fast food at convenience stores
A empty canteen at Nan Hua Primary School.
I was watching the television programme, On the Little Red Dot, and the focus was on obese schoolchildren here.
The programme spoke about the steps taken by a school to get them on a healthy lifestyle and diet.
My view is that sometimes, the problem of obesity is beyond the school’s control.
From my observations, many students have taken to eating convenience food near their schools. I believe this is exacerbated by the proliferation of convenience stores nearby.
Whenever I am at Clementi bus interchange in the afternoons, I will see students from the nearby school gathering at open spaces in the air-conditioned interchange to eat instant “cup noodles” and microwave-heated food.
As the Government continues its drive to promote healthy living, such unhealthy eating habits persist.
Instant food is usually laden with high salt content and preservatives, with little nutrients. Frequent consumption is bad for one’s health and for children, they need to have sufficient nutrients for growth.
It may be a good idea to make food at school canteens more appealing, so that students will consider having their lunch there and not at convenience stores.
I believe that if parents and caregivers do their part as well to prepare healthy after-school lunches for their children, it will encourage them to have their meals at home instead of relying on fast food to satisfy their hunger.
There is only this much the school can do for students.
For those who may not be mature enough to think about the consequences of a poor eating habit, then people who care for them or people in authority should be responsible enough to step in and manage them.
