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Has the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages in schools been banned as promised?

Mar 22, 2022 Letters

Dear Editor,

An article in the December 3, 2019 edition of Kaieteur News announced that a ban on the sale of sugar-sweetened beverages in schools would take effect in 2020. Here is a link to the article: (https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2019/12/03/ban-on-sugar-sweetened-beverages-in-schools-to-take-effect-in-2020/)

Has this actually happened? This initiative was “aimed at reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and the scourge of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes”. Being a parent of school-going children myself, I am wholeheartedly in support of this as I believe it will significantly improve the health of our young ones.

Sugar-sweetened beverages contribute as much as 11% of additional caloric intake in youths, according to this study (https://health.ri.gov/healthrisks/sugarsweetenedbeverages/). This can increase the incidence of child obesity by as much as 60%, and wreak havoc on a child’s developing teeth. These drinks have been shown to provide little to no additional nutritional value and are no substitute for a glass of water or fresh juice when it comes to quenching thirst. Thanks in large part to the well-funded and targeted marketing campaigns of beverage distributors; society is inundated with all brands and sizes of these drinks.

Editor, I am seeking clarity from the relevant source on whether this ban has been put into effect from 2020 as promised, and if so, where is the data and reporting to show how it has worked so far. Are schools (private and public) subject to regulations and inspections of their canteen and vendor facilities to gauge compliance? Are parents being vigilant and monitoring their children’s access to these beverages? Often it is convenient for parents to include beverage funds in the ‘lunch money’, which enables the problem.

There are better alternatives that can be offered that are healthier, tastier and more cost-effective, such as locally produced or even homemade fruit and vegetable juices and bottled water. School feeding programs can set the example using this model, and eventually across the board in private and public schools, this can become the norm. For it all to work, however, there must be a collaborative effort among policymakers, educators, caregivers, school administrators and parents to monitor and enforce compliance with nutritional guidelines to ensure this is not just an ‘on paper only’ initiative.

This is by no means an attack on beverage companies, I believe adults have the right to consume as they wish, they are informed enough to make their own choices. However, let us do everything we can to create a healthy, beneficial nutritional culture in our school systems so our young ones can grow well.

Regards,
Shazaam ‘Shaz’ Ally

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