A THIRD OF the island’s schoolchildren are fat or obese and a leading authority on chronic non-communicable diseases wants the Schools Meals Department to replan its menus to meet the changing needs of its young clientele.
In addition, Sir Trevor Hassell, who is the chairman of the Commission on Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases, wants the sale of sweet drinks in schools, as well as the sponsorships of sporting events and school activities by junk and fast food sellers stopped.
Sir Trevor, who was a guest at the Barbados Workers’ Union’s 75th anniversary symposium at Solidarity House for senior students of secondary schools, revealed that a 2012 survey in 26 local schools found that 31.5 per cent of children were overweight, while 14.4 per cent were obese.
“Our current estimation is that one third of children in schools are overweight or obese,” he told his audience of mainly school children yesterday. (HLE)
Please read the full story in today’s Saturday Sun, or in the eNATION edition.
