In the Netherlands' big cities, snack bars, supermarkets and sweet shops are placed so that children can easily buy unhealthy food near their schools. Dutch outlet NL Times reported this on Monday 12 October, citing a report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Dhaka Tribune writes.
According to the report, children spending their pocket money on food or drink nearly always choose unhealthy options. More than three-quarters, over 75 percent, of what pupils aged 12 to 17 buy is unhealthy, and sausage rolls, sweets, crisps and soft drinks are within easy reach during school breaks.
The research covered Almere, Amsterdam, Den Bosch, Leiden, Rotterdam, Utrecht, The Hague, Breda, Groningen and Tilburg. A study by Amsterdam UMC earlier this month likewise found shops selling unhealthy food around about 94 percent of secondary and vocational schools.
Lisbeth Velema of the Netherlands Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum) told Dutch broadcaster NOS that the easy availability of unhealthy food around schools is a cause for concern, because healthy food, which may taste less appealing than sugary or fatty food, is hard for children to choose.
There is currently no specific legal ban on selling unhealthy food near Dutch schools, but municipalities want change: a coalition of 14 has demanded full local control over permits for new shops and businesses in their areas.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
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