Parents 'fine' with unhealthy lunchbox penalty

...Will a symbolic fine solve Dubai’s growing obesity problem?

An off-the-cuff suggestion by health experts to Dubai schools to impose a Dh1 fine for every time a child brings an unhealthy lunchbox to school is gaining traction with parents, who see it as a good idea.

Ironically, though, these are the very parents who put unhealthy food in their children’s lunchboxes in the first place, but some argue that it’s their children who force them to do so.

“When I go to my child’s school, there are banners and charts everywhere encouraging healthy eating habits; yet my son tells me of his peers getting junk food to school like pizza, chips and candy bars,” says Nandini Rai, whose kids attend an international school in Dubai’s Emirates Living area.

“I want my child to eat healthy and include fruits and nutritious finger foods but when he complains that he gets tempted as kids open their lunchboxes with yummy food I feel bad for him. I don’t understand why parents don’t keep nutritious food for the kids. It’s high time that schools make parents realize that this will only harm the children,” she added.

Some parents believe that the Dh1 fine will act as a daily deterrent and reminder for children that unhealthy eating is not the right thing to do and being young, they may just try to follow what they are taught is best for them.

“It’s a kind of shame the culprit theory. If you don’t do your homework, you will get a note in your diary and now they are trying to do the same thing with food. My little one is in KG1 and one day she came home and told me that her teacher told her that the food she takes to school was very unhealthy. Very innocently, she asked me to keep healthy food. I was embarrassed and quickly replaced cookies with grapes and oranges,” said a Dubai-based expat mother without wishing to be named.
Schools too believe such concepts are an innovative way to deal with the problem, but insist that awareness and educating everybody about healthy eating will remain the key.

“Although a novel idea, there is no substitute for educating parents, children and caregivers on the benefits of a healthy nutritional and exercise regime,” Clive Pierrepont, Director of Communications at Taaleem schools, told newz.

A section of parents too insists that more needs to be done to solve the problem. “To begin with, parents need to be given a list of what can be sent in their lunchboxes. I understand that doughnuts and cakes with all toppings and fondant are unhealthy but what about a piece of carrot cake? And some traditional and staple foods that we eat everyday may seem unhealthy to others,” said C Fernandes, a mother of two in Dubai.
“Healthy eating has a huge effect on children’s energy, minds, and moods,” explianed Taaleem's Pierrepont. “The eating patterns and preferences established in childhood are carried through into adult life and determine a myriad of outcomes. All Taaleem schools have age differentiated curricula initiatives that promote the benefits of healthy eating,” he added.
The stats are staggering indeed. One in every three children in the UAE is obese, according to the United Nations Children Fund (Unicef). Dieticians believe force-feeding, poor eating habits, unhealthy food and a sedentary lifestyle contributes to this growing rate of obesity in young children.

Statistics show nearly 40 per cent of children aged 13 to 15 in the country were overweight and 14.4 per cent were obese in 2010, according to the World Health Organisation. This age group has higher levels of obesity than any other in the UAE and is at risk of developing various kinds of diseases.