Healthy habits at home and in school

Students learn far more than reading, writing, and arithmetic from their schooling. Children must learn in and from a healthy and secure environment where they develop the habits that will lead to responsible adulthood. The importance of developing a balanced diet is one of the most important lessons that children can learn. Sadly, young students in the UAE are exposed to an unhealthy diet at school. Fat-saturated and sugar-rich foods that are prime causes for child obesity and diabetes - two conditions endemic in the nation - are staples in school canteens. Of course, it is difficult to deny sweets to a child. Rewarding or indulging children with such offerings is common in many cultures. But it is an entirely different matter to have schools cultivate, albeit unintentionally, bad habits that can impinge on a child's quality of life for years to come.
Children often supplement the sweets and crisps they bring from home with additional helpings from school vending machines. We expect schoolmasters and teachers to look after the allergies of their pupils, monitor their emotional development, and instil in them a sense of responsibility, purpose and community. Surely we can also count on them to encourage a healthier lifestyle. The government can help control these damaging habits by making it mandatory for public and private schools to hire nutritionists to help design a balanced diet for their students. Another important measure is to limit or even ban access to certain items. At a time when a smoking ban is being implemented, there is no reason why vending machines selling fizzy drinks and chocolate bars should be allowed on school property. As we reported yesterday, authorities in Abu Dhabi have taken the lead by imposing strict rules on canteens. This example must extend to schools in other emirates.
Ultimately, schools cannot monitor or restrict what parents pack in a child's lunch box. Parents have the responsibility not only to demand that schools provide healthier cuisine, but also to shoulder that responsibility at home. A child who develops a healthy diet at home is less likely to succumb to the temptations of sweets at school.