Queensland Government takes a step towards fighting childhood obesity
Release date: 23 February 2009
Education Queensland should be lauded for its implementation of the Smart Choices traffic light food guide aimed at helping school children make improved nutritional choices when considering what to purchase from school tuckshops.
However, a recent survey of Queensland school tuckshops - A Tuckshop Snapshot 2008 - has found further work is required to ensure the majority of food options available are healthy, tasty, and importantly, easy for tuckshop workers to serve and prepare.
The survey, conducted by Queensland Association of School Tuckshops and supported by the MBF Foundation, provided the first litmus test for the success of Smart Choices: Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy for Queensland Schools, since it was introduced into Queensland school tuckshops in July 2006.
The Smart Choices traffic light system categorises foods in school tuckshops based on their nutritional content with 'green' the healthiest, 'amber' foods to be selected carefully and 'red' foods consumed occasionally.
One key finding through the survey was a significant reduction in the number of 'red' foods, such as lollies and deep fried products, being served in tuckshops.
Dr Christine Bennett, Chair of the MBF Foundation Steering Committee and Chief Medical Officer for Bupa Australia*, said that while Smart Choices had made an impact, obesity in children is such a serious problem that we need to take every opportunity to truly support children in making healthy dietary choices.
"It's promising to see the Queensland Government taking a leadership stance and implementing measures aimed at helping children make significant nutritional improvements to their diets," Dr Bennett said.
"However, the survey highlighted the potential for significant enhancements to the scheme if we are serious about fighting childhood obesity.
"As such, it's pivotal the government continues to work with health and nutrition professionals, and to focus on ensuring tuckshops stock healthy, appetising and easy to prepare food. Similarly, it's essential this initial 'stage' is in fact the first wave of a strategy that revolutionises tuckshop food types and choices to educate children about healthy eating and living," she said.
Dr Bennett continued that while it's encouraging to see the majority of 'red' foods have been eliminated from Queensland schools' tuckshop menus, there remains a significant number of 'amber' foods - such as pies, potato chips and ice blocks - with limited nutritional value.
"It's worrying that too many amber foods are still the best selling items. Hot dogs and sausage rolls are prime examples of amber foods that aren't the best routine choices, and I believe their classification suggests there is a need to further review and refine the traffic light system," she said."We need to better support tuckshop workers to help them prepare a range of carefully selected amber foods and green food options that are both healthy and appetising for children. It would also help children if red and amber foods were not displayed prominently and not available every day," she said.
Executive Services Manager of the Queensland Association of School Tuckshops (QAST), Chris Ogden, was delighted with progress already demonstrated by the report and looked forward to school tuckshops playing their part in the health of Australia's children.
Ogden also noted that other states and territories used a similar traffic light system which provided an opportunity for Queensland to take the lead on updating the healthy food choices system in schools.
"I look forward to working collaboratively with the government to develop a further range of healthy and easy to prepare food options that will provide significant nutritional benefits for all school aged children," Ogden said.
Ogden encouraged all tuckshop convenors seeking additional information about convenient green selections to visit www.qast.org.au
Media contacts - Liz Welshman, Crossman Communications, (02) 9361 0519 or 0438 223 079
Background
More information on Smart Choices: Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy for Queensland Schools is available at http://education.qld.gov.au/schools/food-drink-strategy.html
Currently, the Smart Choices traffic light system categorises popular options normally found at school tuckshops into the following groups:
- Green Foods - Have Plenty: Fruit, vegetables, wholegrain or high fibre bread and cereals, reduced fat dairy products, lean meat, fish and poultry, eggs and water.
- Amber Foods - Select Carefully: Full-fat dairy foods, savoury pastries, pizza, sausage rolls, processed meats, ice creams, cakes, muffins and sweet biscuits.
- Red Foods - Have Occasionally: Sugary drinks, confectionary lollies and deep-fried foods.
About The MBF Foundation
The MBF Foundation was established by MBF Australia in 2005 as a charitable organisation to support partnerships and activities in important health research, health education and programs to help build a healthier Australian community.
Focusing on promoting wellness and preventing obesity, healthy ageing and keeping healthcare affordable the Foundation to date has received around 500 high quality proposals and funded over 30 projects nationally. We are partnered with leading researchers, academic institutions and community groups.
For more information, please visit the MBF Foundation or email foundation@mbf.com.au
*Bupa Australia cares for its customers under the brands MBF, HBA, Mutual Community and ClearView.
About QAST
The QAST is an active non-government organisation with over 830 member tuckshops, established to promote and support school canteens. For more information please visit www.qast.org.au
