FOLLOWING the release of the 2017 Jamaica School Health Survey indicating an increase in obesity rates among adolescents, parents have voiced their disapproval with fast food restaurant franchises operating school canteens.

The 2017 survey, which measured behavioural risk and protective factors among 1,667 students aged 13 to 17 years old in 41 schools islandwide, revealed that 24 per cent of students (400) were overweight and nine per cent (150) obese. Of this number, more girls than boys were both obese and overweight, with 28 per cent of females being overweight and 10 per cent being obese, as opposed to 20 per cent of males being overweight and nine per cent obese.

The survey also revealed that 68 per cent of participating students were drinking carbonated drinks one or more times per day, over 50 per cent ate fast food one or more days per week, and 20 per cent spent more than eight hours per day sitting. Over 60 per cent reported that they ate fruits and vegetables one or more times per day.

One parent who identified herself as Margarette said that had she known one patty company was the concessionaire at her daughter’s school of choice in the Grade Six Achievement Test, she would not have chosen it.

However, she said after checking with other parents she realised the situation was common in many high schools across Kingston and St Andrew.

“The choices are horrible — patties, fries, fried chicken and, of course, the sodas. How can you have this situation when the Ministry of Health is selling its Jamaica Moves programme? It’s just a situation where the students are filling their bodies with junk at a time in their lives when eating habits are being shaped,” she said.

“My solution has been to pack lunches and not give her spending money, because I’m trying to get her to form healthy eating habits, but it’s been challenging. I wish there was an option, even with this concessionaire, for the school to opt out of the soda offerings, but they haven’t and that’s unacceptable,” Margarette added.

Another parent and educator, Shelly-Ann Grey Ebanks, said it is a move contrary to good health.

“The meal offerings, though desired by students, are not balanced. They are mostly deep-fried, full of salt and sugar,” she reasoned.

“Schools need to have canteens that offer balanced meals. There is too much rice and peas and fried chicken. Offer even more steamed vegetables, a healthy shake. I guess the focus is more on profit than health,” Grey Ebanks said.

Educator Ruth Perkins shared similar sentiments and expressed that fast food restaurants running canteens are contributing to the unhealthy lifestyles of students, which can have detrimental effects on their health, both now and in the future.

Perkins, a mother of two, said that she believes that a child’s palate can be trained and preference of these foods have a lot to do with parenting.

“When I was growing up we only ate fast food during Christmas or when we went out. My husband is the same, and because of that we rarely eat fast food. We do not give our children fast food unless it is for a treat. For children to love it is natural, but some prefer home-cooked meals as opposed to fast food, based on how their palate is trained. Children prefer what they are trained to eat, and if you train your child properly, they will not have a preference for fast food over a [home] cooked meal,” Perkins said.

Wadia Morris, another parent, said “this not something I support”.

She added, “The educators and parents must stand their ground and do what is right for the well-being of our children. We all know the negative effects of having these foods, worse on a daily basis. What is the purpose in trying to be a healthier country when the place that assists with the grooming of children is doing otherwise?”

A board member of Calabar High School, who wished not to be named, said while he agrees that the options are not healthy, it is a matter of economics versus healthy lifestyle.

“Why did the schools decide to outsource? Schools could not manage the running of canteens. In order to not be in debt, a lot decided to outsource. And these companies came in with good offers and, in some instances, there were bidding wars with many perks,” he said.

“They came in with patties, sodas and also cooked food, but the reality is, which is cheaper? While the boxed food may have had more nutrients, the patty is cheaper than the boxed food and easier for a child to manage. I agree that there needs to be healthier choices, but on the face of it, it’s really an economic issue,” he added.

Nutrition consultant Kirk Bolton said he believes that the professionals in nutrition need to do more to educate children and parents about healthier options.

He said the reality is that the canteen operators are in schools to make a profit, and if healthier options, when provided, aren’t purchased by students, then they will be forced to make business decisions based on demand.

Moreover, Education Minister Senator Ruel Reid last week stated that a nutritional policy to address the issues in the survey will be rolled out by September.

“The existence of fast food restaurants and franchising has become a norm in Jamaica over recent times, and schools have found it far more efficient to offer the franchising of their canteens to these fast food chains. Unfortunately, it occurred in the absence of clear policy guidelines and this is something I am aware of. We’ve had consultations with the IDB (Inter-America Development Bank) to develop nutritional guidelines in schools,” he said. “That has to be done with more comprehensive policies, and so the Ministry of Health (MOH) and myself are in discussions about rolling out that policy.

“I wanted IDB support to roll out that policy for the new year, but now we are collaborating with MOH to come out with a comprehensive nutritional policy guideline, supported and directed through the MOH with our support. It will form a policy approved by Cabinet that we will insist, that all schools will have to follow these guidelines. So we will see existing contracts that the franchises within schools will have to comply with,” Reid said.

He pointed out that the policy guidelines will insist that nutritional characteristics as well as recommended servings of meals and products sold are displayed in canteens so students can make informed decisions.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton said the school health survey indicates clearly that more must be done to address both physical inactivity and consumption habits among the younger population.

He also said Jamaica Moves will be going into schools this year to assist students to make smarter choices.