The past two decades have witnessed a significant change in the dietary habits of people living in Dubai. There has been a shift from traditional diet that is healthier and well balanced to a diet that has poor nutritional qualities.
With regards to children, recent surveys have indicated that more than one third of school children are either overweight or obese.
Since most children consume half their daily calories at school, strengthening nutritional standards is an important step to combat childhood obesity and to improve the heath and wellbeing of these children.
The Food Control Department of Dubai Municipality and the Dubai Health Authority published a guidance manual to improve the nutritional standard of food served or sold in schools.
Guideline composed of three parts:
– The first part is entitled as requirements to ensure food safety and hygiene in school canteens. It includes hygiene requirements for the production of safe food which should be provided in school canteens and schools’ food supplying facilities as well as providing necessary instructions to ensure the safety of food during handling, cooking, transporting, displaying and selling.
– The second part includes the guidance to assure healthy food in schools. It contains the basic facts related to healthy food and nutritional needs required by different age groups in schools.
– The third part is titled as “Nutritional Guidelines for Schools” contains examples of a variety of school meals.
Here’s a list of food items prohibited in Dubai’s school canteens (as per the 2011 guidelines):
. All kinds of soft drinks
. Energy drinks
. All types of fruit drinks
. Milk and yogurt with synthetic flavors
. All types of chewing gum and candies
. Bofak (special type of Chips)
. Sweets composed of excessive sugar and colorants
. Plain chocolate
. Food items containing monosodium glutamate (found naturally in tomatoes, cheese and other foods.
MSG is used in the food industry as a flavor enhancer)
. High-fat food
. Chips
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