The HSE’s National Clinical Lead for Obesity has said that the hot food programme for schools “needs to be evaluated,” and must not provide any ultra-processed food to children.
Professor Donal O’Shea was responding to the concerns raised by primary school teacher and nutritionist Shaun Conaghan on RTÉ’s Upfront with Katie Hannon programme.
He said that the state “should not be providing ultra-processed anything” under the hot food for schools scheme – and that, given the State was already currently paying over €120m per year on the programme, it should be evaluated before taking it further.
Mr Conaghan told the programme that: “unfortunately some of the major providers [of the school meals] are providing foods that we know increase obesity risk and we just need to do better”.
He raised concerns about “sausages and potato cubes”, a “creamy carbonara with white pasta with very high saturated fat and processed meat” and “a chicken fillet roll” being served to schoolchildren.
“Children in my class can order cream crackers and a muffin or Golden Nuggets cereal as part of their snack, they can order two to three of them in place of fruit,” Mr Conaghan added.
In a statement read out on the programme, the Department of Social Protection said it has “an oversight role and conducts inspections of some 400 schools annually, all the schools must submit a sample menu and funding will not be provided for food that doesn’t comply with these standards”.
Prof O’Shea has previously spoken about the relentless promotion of foods which were described by the Safefood campaign as “unhealthy” foods and drinks – taking aim at promotions of high fat and sugar foods in particular.
Safefood say that more than half of all food and drink promotions in convenience stores are also high in calories and low in nutritional content.
Dr Aileen McGloin, Safefood director of nutrition, said: “If we stop and look around at our own environment, we begin to see how much unhealthy food and drink surrounds us. Our campaign ads show how overwhelming this is from a child’s-eye view.
“We’re bombarded with advertising and promotions for it. It’s there when paying for petrol or buying a tin of paint.
“It’s on never-ending price promotion. Expecting any of us to make a healthier choice is simply not possible when faced with this relentless sales push.”
Prof O’Shea also said that the sugar tax on fizzy drinks had been “transformative” and had led to more food and drink companies lowering calorie content.
Obesity is a “chronic relapsing disease” and “not a little bit of overweight”, he said.