The prevalence of overweight and obesity among Maltese schoolchildren and adolescents has been increasing over recent years, as it has in other southern European countries.
A nationwide study conducted during 2016 measuring all schoolchildren showed that approximately 40 per cent of school-aged children are overweight or obese. Evidence shows that environments with barriers of access to healthy foods and fewer occasions to engage in physical activity are associated with higher rates of obesity.
Schools play a particularly critical role by establishing a safe and supportive environment with policies and practices that support healthy behaviours. Schools also provide opportunities for children to learn about and practise healthy eating and physical activity behaviours by developing the skills required.
Research shows that the school environment influences children’s attitudes, preferences and behaviours. In schools, children can be reached repetitively and constantly and, therefore, they are unrivalled in their potential for health promoting opportunities that can influence children to achieve better health and well-being.
We know that eating and physical activity behaviours are established in the early years of life. Therefore, the adoption of healthy behaviours through early education must be encouraged since it increases the likelihood that such behaviours will be sustained into adulthood.
By encouraging healthy eating you can make a huge impact on your children’s lifelong relationship with food
Malta is acting to strengthen the necessary framework and support an enabling school environment to help the whole school community adopt healthier patterns of living by encouraging physical activity, promoting healthy foods and limiting the availability of products high in salt, sugar and fats.
In August 2018, the subsidiary legislation (L.N. 266 of 2018 Healthy Lifestyle Promotion and Care of Non-communicable Diseases Act – Cap. 550, Procurement of Food for Schools Regulations, 2018) was enacted to regulate food being sold and provided from schools, to implement programmes for healthy eating, not to permit advertising or sponsorship of unhealthy foods and to ensure provision of potable water in schools.
Schools are advised on foods that are permissible and those that are not. This is based on the model whereby foods high in sugar, fat and salt are not allowed at school, to ensure a consistent message is provided to children in line with what they are taught.
It is also essential for parents to be empowered to give their children a healthy lunch box. By encouraging healthy eating habits now, you can make a huge impact on your children’s lifelong relationship with food and give them the best opportunity to grow into healthy, confident adults.
So, with some schools starting this week, what shall we put in our children’s lunch box? Remember that preparing the healthiest lunch box is useless if your child won’t eat it. Encourage your children to be involved in preparing their own lunch box with a range of healthy options.
On a final note, add physical activity to your child’s day, just as you would add fruit or vegetables in their lunch box. To encourage physical activity, you need to be a role model yourself.
Play with your kids, throw around a football; go cycling; take family walks and hikes; and help your children find activities they enjoy by showing them different possibilities. The benefits of lifelong exercise are abundant, and regular exercise can even help motivate your children to make healthy food choices.
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A balanced packed lunch should contain:
1. Starchy foods. Carbohydrates are the body’s most important and readily available source of energy. Healthy sources of carbohydrates include wholegrain cereals, brown rice, wholegrain breads. Starchy foods should make up a third of the lunch box. Instead of sandwiches every day, vary with pitta bread, wraps and baguettes. Use brown, wholemeal or seeded bread instead of white.
2. Protein foods. Proteins are needed for growth, regulation of hormones, control of metabolism and repair of all body cells. Body cells contain proteins. The skin, muscles, organs and glands are mainly protein. Proteins are found in lean meat, such as beef or chicken, fish (tuna or salmon), eggs, beans, lentils and others.
3. A dairy item. Milk and dairy products are good sources of both protein and calcium, and form part of a healthy diet. Choose lower-fat dairy foods, because these are healthier choices.
4. Vegetables or salad, and a portion of fruit. We all know that eating fruit and vegetables is good for us. It helps reduce our risk of disease by giving us a range of essential nutrients and dietary fibre. Their great taste and eye appeal can also help entice children to eat more of them. Fresh fruit is easy to pack. Choose fruit that is in season. Raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes or cucumber are popular as a snack or in a sandwich.
5. Bottle of plain water. This will keep your child hydrated all day.
While taking care that the lunch box has a variety of healthy foods, it is also important to ensure that it stays safe. That means keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
Look at these tips
■ Prepare the lunch box in a safe manner by washing hands before starting.
■ Include an ice pack with the lunch box to keep items cold.
■ Include a frozen bottle of water during summer. It will still be cold at lunchtime and keep the food cool too.
■ During hot weather, avoid milk, yoghurt, fish or meat in lunches, unless they are packed in a good-quality cooler with an ice pack/frozen water bottle.
■ Wash and dry salad vegetables thoroughly to avoid ‘soggy sandwiches’.
■ For busy families, prepare lunch boxes and sandwiches the night before and store them in the fridge.
■ Wash, rinse and thoroughly dry lunch boxes after every use to keep them safe and clean.
Dr Charmaine Gauci is Superintendent of Public Health.