Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Education and Learning committee [5 September 2019] will consider a report on the regions school meals service.
The school meals service is benchmarked against the Scottish Government Healthy Living Survey. This involves data gathered on 1 day each February, with results being issued to councils each June.
School meals uptake in Dumfries and Galloway 2018, paid and free [compared to Scottish average]
Primary: 70.2% [61.9%]
Secondary: 52% [43.9%]
Free school meals uptake in Dumfries and Galloway 2017/18 [compared to Scottish average]
P1 to P3: 88.4% [79.6%]
P4 to P7: 85.3% [84.4%]
P 1 to P7: 87.8% [80.5%]
Secondary: 70.6% [72.8%]
In Scotland, the aim is to halve childhood obesity by 2030. However, increasing strain on the NHS due to the rising prevalence of conditions associated with obesity, such as diabetes, means that there is a need for additional interventions through schools. It is increasingly vital that children are provided with optimal nutrition and nutrition education. There is also a growing need to educate parents/carers.
The School Food and Drink Regulations [Scotland] 2008 were reviewed by a technical working group [TWG] to provide evidence-based recommendations to progress school food further towards meeting the Scottish Dietary Goals [SDGs]. The findings will result in reductions in the quantities of sugar, red and processed meat, fat, salt, and fruit juices offered in school meals. This is based on the most up to date scientific evidence on diet and health to support the health of children and young people through schools and will be implemented through legislation by 2020.
Educating pupils and parents is vital as changes to school meals can result in pupils not eating in schools and purchasing food elsewhere. When out of school, evidence shows that young people choose food products that are predominately less healthy and that wouldn’t meet the nutritional standards set by the Scottish Government. Lunchtime spend by pupils eating out of school is mostly higher than the school meal deal.
Councillor Jeff Leaver, chair of the Education and Learning committee, said: “Providing the best start for all our children is a priority for our Council. It’s vital that we educate young people on healthy eating and provide appropriate meals in our schools. But, it’s increasingly difficult to balance legislation, dietary needs and young people’s wants to deliver appropriate meals within stringent budgetary constraints. For example, there has been a 500% increase in hospital admissions for food allergies/intolerances since 1990. One result of this is an increasing demand to provide special diets to meet individual needs. However, school meal statistics for Dumfries and Galloway show that we’re doing well when compared with other areas of Scotland.”
Councillor Ros Surtees, vice chair, said: “If we are to live longer, healthier lives, we need to provide healthy, nutritious school meals that meet current and future legislation and encourage young people to eat them. Obviously, educating parents and young people is vital if we are to achieve the culture change that is required to address issues such as obesity and related conditions such as diabetes to improve our wellbeing in the long term.”
For full report see:
https://dumfriesgalloway.moderngov.co.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx?XXR=0&M=9&DD=2019&ACT=Go
