In brief
In response to the increasing rates of childhood obesity, particularly in South Africa where 22% of children under five are now overweight, the Kairos School of Inquiry has implemented a healthy food policy emphasizing vegetarian meals. Headteacher Marc Loon aims to educate children and parents about nutrition while facing challenges posed by widespread fast food availability. Perspectives from students and local advocates highlight the need for systemic change in food access and marketing practices to ensure healthier futures for the next generation.
It's lunchtime in the leafy grounds of the Kairos School of Inquiry in Randburg, South Africa. Dozens of children line up excitedly in front of a table laden with large pots of fresh, hot food.
Today on the menu we have Kitchari: a mix of daal and rice, with tomato chutney, halloumi and salad, the school cook says, as she serves the students.
The school decided to introduce a mainly vegetarian food policy as part of an effort to buck a worrying global trend: for the first time, the number of overweight children has overtaken the number of underweight ones.
The UN says the number of overweight and obese teenagers around the world has nearly tripled in the last two decades. The number of overweight children aged five to nine years old has increased from 69 million to 147 million.
Parents at Kairos have been asked to pack only whole foods in their children's lunchboxes.
Headteacher Marc Loon believes the policy has provided an opportunity to teach students about the importance of healthy eating.
If all schools were to emulate our intention of being thoughtful and conscious of what children are putting into their bodies... the health of the children would be served, he said.
The growing popularity of convenience food in the developing world is partly responsible for the growth in obesity rates amongst children, according to Unicef. Trainee lawyer Mamkhabela Mthembu, 23, reflects on her childhood where fast food was seen as a treat, contributing to her current struggles with weight and health.
Gilbert Tshitaudzi, Unicef's nutrition manager, emphasizes the need for government action to control unhealthy food marketing to children, stating, How do you expect an individual to live a healthier lifestyle if their environment does not enable them to do that?
Despite higher taxes on sugary drinks implemented by the South African government, the obesity rates continue to rise. Unicef advocates for improved access to nutritious foods for children and teens.
Until systemic changes are made, schools like Kairos are left to lead the charge in promoting healthier eating habits, nurturing the health of future generations.
