Türkiye’s child obesity rank spurs demand for canteen regulation

ISTANBUL

Türkiye has ascended to the top of Europe’s child obesity rankings, claiming the third spot globally, and experts think that a major culprit may be products sold in school canteens, emphasizing the urgent need for heightened inspections.

Although the Education Ministry has carried out many studies and signed the "School Food Logo Cooperation Protocol" to sell healthy foods with a logo indicating that the product is suitable for school canteens in 2019, the project could not be implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stating that the decision to sell products with the school food logo in canteens has been postponed for another three years, Turkish Kidney Foundation President Timur Erk said, "The industry had done its work, but there are elements that increase the cost of products with the school food logo."

"Starch-based sugar and additives indicated with the symbol ‘e’ cannot be included. The use of beet sugar and products made from vegetable oils increases the cost. A list of around 500 products that the industry deemed sufficient to be healthy school food was published, but the process was rushed," he explained.

According to a 2022 Health Ministry Scientific Board decision, energy, carbonated or flavored drinks, fried foods, chocolate, doughy and syrupy desserts, cakes, caffeinated products, "çiğ köfte" (a dish made with or without minced meat, close to a Turkish version of steak tartare), herbal teas, foods containing sweeteners are among the products that are not suitable for sale in canteens.

However, fast food products such as burgers, nuggets, meatballs, meat products including canned fish and turkey, and processed meats such as salami, sausage, bacon, and salty pastries are allowed, provided certain criteria are met.

Noting that most parents do not prepare lunchboxes for their children, Erk said that obesity is increasing due to the lack of balanced nutrition and advised that children should eat breakfast in primary school for healthy nutrition, as currently, 70 percent of students in Anatolia do not.

Stating that the prices of products in canteens have increased a lot, Erk suggested that the ministries should instruct lower prices on healthy products.

Prices of food items sold in school canteens increased in the second semester of the 2023-2024 academic year, with the cost of some products higher than those sold in the market.

According to the price tariff, the cost of pastries, which were 12 Turkish Liras in the first semester, increased to 15 liras; water, which was 5 liras, increased to 6 liras; fruit juice, which was 15 liras, increased to 20 liras; and milk, which was 13 liras, increased to 17 liras.