Childhood obesity is a serious problem both within Western Australia and nationally. When children carry too much weight and are obese they face a greater risk of immediate and long-term health and behavioural problems. There has been a community call for us all to work together to help our children become more healthy and reduce their risk of suffering serious health problems later in life. Schools, canteens and other types of food services can support healthy lifestyle choices.
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Food and drinks have been rated on how good they are for you, setting the standard for all food and drink sold in public school canteens/food services. The standards make it clear what food can and cannot be sold in school canteens/food services. Many schools and food suppliers in Western Australia already know these standards and the Star Choice system operated by the Western Australian School Canteen Association (WASCA).
WASCA uses the national Federation of Canteens in Schools (FOCiS) nutrient criteria to decide on what products are able to be registered in the Star Choice Buyer’s Guide. The FOCiS nutrient criteria have been reviewed nationally by qualified health professionals, food technologists and food industry representatives.
Star Choice registered food and drinks are generally lower in fat, sugar and salt (and higher in fibre and calcium where relevant) than other products of that food type available in the market.
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Canteen/food service menus should not be dominated by these foods and drinks. They should be limited and chosen carefully. Large serving sizes should not be used.
Examples include (but are not limited to):
Refined cereals with added sugars, full fat dairy foods and commercial products such as Star Choice registered pastry items, snack food bars, ice-creams, cakes, muffins and fruit drinks.
Food and drinks that have not been registered in the Star Choice Buyers’ Guide may be used if they meet the minimum nutrient criteria for registration.
These are called ‘extra foods’ in The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. They should not be offered in schools because they:
Examples include (but are not limited to):
Soft drinks, confectionary, deep fried foods and other items such as chips, chocolate coated ice-creams, cakes and muffins that do not meet the criteria for registration.
All RED food and drink must be off canteen/food service menus by the end of Term 1.
Many schools have already taken these foods and drinks off their canteen/food service menus or limited their availability.
Students can eat these foods and drinks outside of school under the supervision of their parents.
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The policy applies to all public school canteens and food services provided in place of a canteen. This includes:
The policy also applies to areas in the school where the principal is directly responsible for the supply of food and drinks, for example:
Schools need to look at their menus and work out which category the foods come from ie GREEN, AMBER, RED. The Western Australian School Canteen Association (WASCA) is available to help schools with this.
Firstly, schools need to remove the RED food from their menus by the end of Term 1 and replace these items with food from the GREEN category and include some foods from the AMBER category. Schools will be encouraged to have a small menu that:
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The following foods are suggestions of what can be used to replace the ‘RED’foods:
Hamburgers and chicken burgers (using Star Choice registered patties or their equivalent) with salad.
WASCA has made some sample menu planners as a guide for schools.
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Schools should make changes to their menus over time with the aim of using the policy for all their food and drink purchasing by July 2007. Gradual changes can include slowly replacing less healthy foods with healthier foods. This gives students time to change their tastes, canteens time to restock and suppliers time to provide the healthier versions.
All RED food and drinks must be off canteen/food services menus by the end of Term 1.
Healthy school canteens have been profitable. In 2005, an evaluation of the NSW Fresh Tastes @ School Strategy, which involved over 500 schools, found that 98% were using the healthy canteens policy and most of these had reported making a profit.
Not all of the popular items will be removed altogether. They may still be on the menu, but not as often and they may be replaced by healthier options of the same item that are registered in the Star Choice Buyers’ Guide.
The food industry was involved in the development of the policy. The food industry, together with the rest of the community, is concerned about the rising levels of obesity in our children.
Schools can play a key role in improving children’s attitudes to healthy food and physical exercise. Clear messages about making healthy food and drink choices and the importance of physical activity are required. WA is a leader in promoting a healthy and active lifestyle for children.
Food suppliers need to plan for the changes. Schools should advise their suppliers as early as possible if they are going to change their ordering patterns.
Where canteens make food on the premises ie pikelets, muffins and lasagne, they are encouraged to use recipes that are lower in saturated fat and sugar. WASCA can provide recommended recipes for the most popular items and is available to provide advice to canteens on the recipes they are currently using.
Canteens are reminded that they should check with their local council to see what classification their food premises has as this will affect the amount of food preparation that can be undertaken.
As part of the school review process, principals will report to District Directors on how schools have put the policy in place. Schools will also be required to report to parents each year through the school newsletter.
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This policy needs to be considered together with the Department’s Student Health Care Policy and the Anaphylaxis Advice Paper. Schools are encouraged to establish “allergy friendly” or “peanut friendly” environments where risks are reduced to the extent possible but where all concerned recognise the need for ongoing vigilance. In addition, each school should have a Food Allergy Policy which has been developed to suit the students in their local area.
Additives must meet national standards set by Food Standards Australia New Zealand. The food sold in canteens will meet the national FOCiS nutrient criteria. The FOCiS criteria have recently been reviewed nationally by qualified health professionals, food technologists and food industry representatives who are aware of the issues of additives in food. Again, schools need to read this policy together with the Department’s Student Health Care Policy and Anaphylaxis Advice Paper in the development of their Food Allergy Policy.
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Confectionery includes chocolates, carob and yoghurt based confectionery, and all types of lollies such as boiled lollies, cough lollies, liquorice, lollies made from fruit juice, and jelly lollies. All confectionery falls into the RED category.
Foods containing confectionery, such as chocolate chips, sprinkles and icing, cannot be registered and are therefore RED. The Star Choice Buyers’ Guide may help to determine whether or not a food falls into the AMBER category.
Yes. Under the policy and standards full-fat milk products are classified as AMBER products and should be selected carefully. Reduced-fat milk products are classified as GREEN products and are healthier choices for children.
The Australian Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents (2003), developed by the National Health and Medical Research Council, recommends that the consumption of reduced fat milk products is encouraged in children over two years of age to reduce saturated fat intake. Full fat milk products should only be available when reduced fat products cannot be sourced.
The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating recommends that children meet their higher nutrient needs by eating more foods from the five food groups: cereals (including breads, rice, pasta, noodles); vegetables and legumes; fruit; and milk, cheese, yoghurt and alternatives, and meat and meat alternatives. One to three serves of ‘extra’ foods may be included to add variety and meet the additional energy needs of active young people.
Dietary surveys show that young people are not consuming the recommended amounts or variety of foods from the five food groups. Instead, approximately six serves of ‘extra’ foods are being consumed every day, contributing to excess energy, fat, sugar and salt, and insufficient essential nutrients needed for growth and development.
There are ample opportunities to consume these foods and drinks outside of school.
‘Artificially sweetened drinks’ refers to drinks where an artificial sweetener, eg aspartame, has been added.
Savoury commercial products in the AMBER category of foods and drinks should be limited to 2 days per week. These products include (but are not limited to) reduced fat pastry items and pizza.
Water, and reduced fat, plain and flavoured milks are the healthiest drinks for children and young people and should be readily available and promoted in schools. Fruit juices and fruit drinks are high in acid and can contribute to tooth decay if consumed regularly.
Food rewards provided to students must comply with the policy, including food vouchers. Activities and rewards consistent with the policy will also support the school curriculum.
Rewarding with confectionery sends the wrong message and reinforces the RED foods, which are already being consumed frequently and excessively by children and young people.
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New South Wales and Queensland have recently introduced ‘traffic light’ systems in their school canteens based on minimum nutrient criteria where registered products must not exceed levels of energy, total fat, saturated fat, sodium and sugar provided in the criteria.
NSW has restricted the sale of RED foods and drinks to two days per term. This means that one or more of these foods can be sold on two designated days per term.
Like WA, NSW has included many of the most favoured canteen menu items of students ie hamburgers, but has replaced them with healthier options of the same item.
The food and drink in the NSW Healthy Kids’ Products School Canteen Buyers’ Guide are not based on the same minimum nutrient criteria as the food and drink in the Star Choice Buyers’ Guide. The Star Choice Buyers’ Guide is the correct guide for Western Australian schools to use and is the guide referred to in the Western Australian Government’s Policy and Standards for Healthy Food and Drink Choices.
The NSW Healthy Kids’ Products School Canteen Buyers’ Guide should not be used and should be discarded to prevent any confusion.
The national framework will be reflected in the policy once it is announced.
Yes. Schools and parents/caregivers should be aware of food safety in relation to selling food cooked from home. All food must be handled to ensure it is safe for sale; this includes preparation, cooking, storage and transportation. Hot savoury dishes are high risk foods compared with baked products such as cakes and biscuits, and need to be handled carefully. Contact the Western Australian Department of Health and your local council for more advice on food safety.
No. However, fundraising activities that promote health and wellbeing are encouraged. These could include seasonal fruits eg. mangoes, freeze dried fruits, toothbrushes, healthy food cookbooks, sun block, nursery products.
To help ensure foods used for fundraising activities are consistent with the policy and standards for healthy food and drinks, schools can:
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If a product is not registered, WASCA can provide a Product Assessment Form for you to complete to determine whether the food is able to be sold in canteens. Canteens are encouraged to use their networks to share information about products that are not registered in the Star Choice Buyers’ Guide but do meet the criteria for registration. Local dieticians and nutritionists are also available to provide advice on products.
The Federation of Canteens in Schools (FOCiS) have developed the minimum nutrient criteria. The FOCiS criteria have recently been reviewed nationally by qualified health professionals, food technologists and food industry representatives. For further information on the minimum nutrient criteria and the registration process for food and drinks please use the following contact details:
WA Registration
PO Box 25 Hillarys 6923
Phone (08) 9264 4999
Fax (08) 9264 4981
Email wasca@det.wa.edu.au
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WASCA is available to provide support and advice to all school canteens. WASCA is being funded to provide training and assistance to all canteens/food services and their employer, ie P and C representatives.
Assistance will be provided for canteen staff facing canteen management issues such as:
Rural and regional areas can have difficulty in accessing healthier products. Canteens from different schools may be able to group together to increase their purchasing power – that is, buying in bulk to make foods cheaper. Work on setting up ‘buying groups’ is currently being done.
Information for parents, school and canteen staff has been developed so that consistent messages are provided to students about healthy eating. Sample menu planners, a website and a helpline will encourage a whole school approach to making healthy food and drink choices. These resources will link with the resources to support increased physical activity in public schools.
School principals were sent information on the new policy and standards in December, 2006 and January, 2007 including a copy of the Policy and Standards for Healthy Food and Drink Choices in Public Schools – Information for schools.
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Schools have also been provided with Getting Started packages for principals and canteens. The Getting Started folder for canteens/food services included an updated Star Choice Buyer’s Guide which will be an invaluable resource for planning menus.
Hands-on-training is available to help schools assess their menus against the RED, AMBER and GREEN food categories. Online training will also be available later in the 2007 school year. WASCA is providing the training. Contact WASCA on 9264 4999 to find out when training is happening in your area. The Australian Institute of Environmental Health (phone 9361 3112) and some local councils can provide the FoodSafe DVD information session and workbooks. Some schools have hosted morning teas for workers and volunteers to watch the DVD and go through the simple questions in the workbook together.
WASCA has a range of resources and services available to help canteens such as the Star Choice Buyers’ Guide, advisory services and training courses. WASCA can be contacted on 9264 4999.
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