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The Province is working to make B.C. students the healthiest and most physically active in Canada by 2010. It’s an important goal, and an ambitious one. In B.C., one in four children between the ages of two and 17 is overweight or obese. Many obese children become obese adults who have a greater chance of developing serious health problems, such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.
Food sales guidelines
To reach our goal, we have launched an action plan for student health that includes guidelines for food and beverage sales in B.C. schools. The guidelines will help school districts eliminate junk food and improve student health and achievement. They will help districts evaluate products sold in onsite stores, cafeterias and vending machines; reduce the number of less healthy items sold; and provide students with healthier options.
The voluntary guidelines will help schools:
- Divide food and beverages into four categories: choose most, choose sometimes, choose least, and not recommended.
- Discontinue sales of “not recommended” items.
- Move toward selling “choose most” and “choose sometimes” items.
Under the guidelines, a school that has 10 slots in a vending machine would fill five slots with items from the “choose most” group, four with “choose sometimes” food or beverages, and one with “choose least” products. Items from the “not recommended” group would not be offered.
The Province, school districts, health authorities, parent groups and others are working together to discontinue sales of unhealthy food in schools. We are committed to removing junk food from school vending machines, stores and cafeterias within four years, but Education Minister Shirley Bond would like to see it happen even sooner. B.C.’s schools and districts are up to the challenge, as many already have effective health and nutrition policies in place.
Action plan for student health
Government is investing more than $15.5 million to help make B.C. students the healthiest and most physically fit in Canada. In addition to the food sales guidelines for B.C. schools, the Province’s action plan for student health also includes:
The first-ever provincewide forum to promote health in B.C. schools – held last January.
- A report on food sales and policies at public schools in British Columbia. The report establishes a baseline that can be used to measure future progress, and recommends actions that can be taken by schools and districts to encourage healthier eating habits.
- A provincial framework to guide school boards, health authorities and communities in creating healthy schools – to be announced in early 2006.
- The expansion of Action Schools! BC, a physical activity program designed to increase students’ physical activity levels, to more grade levels and more schools.
- A school fruit-and-vegetable pilot study, in which 10 elementary school students are receiving two servings of fruit or vegetables at school each week.
The Province is promoting health in B.C. schools by requiring that students in grades 11 and 12 participate in 80 hours or more of physical activity to graduate. We are also developing clear physical education standards that describe exactly what students are expected to know and do, and a new health and career education curriculum for K-10.
Healthy children learn better and are more likely to develop positive attitudes toward nutritious foods and physical activity – attitudes that can last a lifetime. Healthy lifestyles begin at home, but schools are in a good position to help students make healthier choices. The Province’s action plan for student health will encourage B.C. students to get fit, eat well and achieve their best.
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