Canteens of most schools in Dubai offer poor food choices

Almost half the number of schools in Dubai do not offer fresh fruits to students as a food choice while others offer fizzy and energy drinks, according to the School Canteen Survey.

Only a limited number of parents and students are given a chance to select food items for canteens while canteen managers take charge in majority of the schools, the survey found.

Several schools also do not provide enough break time to students to complete their meals.

Based on the findings and as reported by Khaleej Times last month, the Dubai Health Authority will issue guidelines by September that will focus on provision of healthy food choices as well as food safety in school canteens.

The survey covered 216 schools (82 public and 134 private) with 150,000 students from April to June.

It found that 77 per cent of schools provide sandwiches in canteens on a daily basis, 67 per cent provide bread and cereals on a daily basis.

The survey covered:

82 public and 134 private schools with 150,000 students

Results:

21% provide fresh milk daily

7% give soft drinks daily

51% serve dairy products daily

67% give bread and cereals daily

54% provide fresh fruit salads

30% serve hot dogs and burgers

63% offer processed fruit juices

77% offer sandwiches daily

Fifty-four per cent of the schools provide fresh fruit salads, however, it is on the menu only three times a week.

It was also found that 30 per cent of schools provide hot dogs and burgers while 51 per cent provide dairy products on a daily basis and 21 per cent provide fresh milk on a daily basis.

Sixty-three per cent of schools provide processed fruit juices and seven per cent of schools provide soft drinks on a daily basis.

Only one per cent of schools provide energy drinks on a daily basis, yet, ideally this should not be available in school canteens at all.

“Initially we will issue guidelines that will target companies providing food across schools,” said Dr Ali Marzouqi, Director of Public Health and Safety Department, Health Policy and Strategy Sector at the authority.

The guidelines are an attempt to curb the growing epidemic of childhood-obesity in a country where more than 20 per cent of school children aged between 8-12 years are overweight due to poor food choices offered in school canteens, while 33 per cent of children aged 2-15 years live a sedentary lifestyle.

“We will ask them (companies) to focus on providing food that is full of nutrients so as to minimize calories in the diet of children,” he added. Twenty per cent of schools have vending machines in their premises of which 12 per cent machines are stocked with soft drinks.

“Nutrition across schools is a crucial issue to ensure students follow a healthy eating pattern and do not get hooked on to fast foods which provide empty calories and are a leading cause of child obesity globally,” said Dr Marzooqi.

Of the schools surveyed, it was found that 54 per cent of the students across the 216 schools are Emiratis, 24 per cent are Asians and nine per cent are Arabs and Westerners.

The survey also found that 68 per cent of the schools provide readymade food in their canteens, 22 per cent prepare their food in school cafeterias and 10 per cent do not provide any food services for students, instead they ask pupils to bring food from home.

Nishath Syed Rizwan, whose daughters study at a Dubai school, prefers packing lunch for her children. The school has a canteen that offers a variety of food options but she has her doubts about some of the unhealthy stuff that can be bought at the canteen.

“There are options like chicken sandwiches and fruits for the kids but then I’ve also noticed doughnuts and pizzas which are unhealthy according to me,” she said.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE
• UAE