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MUMBAI, INDIA, August 17, 2004: Schools in Mumbai are cracking down on junk food in childrens’ lunches in an effort to curb growing obesity among young people. Gazala Shaikh, headmistress of Begum Sharifa Kalsekar Girls English School, says, “Students have to eat lunch in class. Teachers confiscate junk food, and a note is sent to the parents requesting that their child be packed wholesome food.” Before the ban on junk food, more than 30% of inspected lunches contained pre-packaged fried foods, a big culprit. The article says, ” The Leelavati Podar School at Santacruz has gone a step further and asks parents to send specific lunches on different days of the week. Wednesday is Fruits Day, Thursday is Salad Day and Friday is Sprouts Day.” Parents are sent out memos that list unacceptable foods such as all kinds of packed food including wafers and chips, fried food and chocolates and biscuits. On the same memo, parents are encouraged to send the following: chapati, veg/alu paratha, idli/dosa, noodles with vegetables, sprouts, fruits, upma/sheera,or cutlet, pattice, sabudana khichdi and poha. Other schools in Mumbai have enlisted the services of Radhakrishna Hospitality Services Limited to offer nutritionally-balanced meals to their students.

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