Call to make water-only at schools mandatory

A programme offering schools support to ban sugary drinks has had little uptake despite a Ministry of Education call for them to make the change.

Of 100 schools offered the help, only 30 had taken up the invitation from dentists in July.

The New Zealand Dental Association (NZDA) ‘‘adopt a school’’ initiative was launched after the ministries of education and health wrote to schools encouraging them to adopt a ‘‘water-only’’ drinks policy in March. Advice on how to move to water-only and a policy template were also provided.

NZDA spokesman Rob Beaglehole said the organisation asked for a directive banning sugary drinks last year.

‘‘Instead, the ministry wrote a letter to all schools urging them to adopt a water-only policy.’’

There were no plans to require schools to comply with a water-only policy, Ministry of Education acting deputy secretary for early learning and student achievement Karl Le Quesne said.

‘‘It’s down to boards of trustees, schools and their communities to decide if they want to go wateronly.’’

Beaglehole blamed a lack of leadership by the government for the small number of schools to adopt the policy or accept offers made by dentists.

‘‘They need to make it mandatory - just like tobacco and alcohol. It’s not a radical policy. The vast majority of parents and principals are going to understand this is a proactive step.’’

Heart Foundation health promotion co-ordinator Chloe Balderstone teaches nutrition and works with about 50 low decile schools in the South Island.

She knew of ‘‘a handful’’ of schools that have adopted the wateronly policy and actively implemented it.

Many schools did not realise the policy included drinks provided in lunch orders, at the canteen and at special events. Many primary schools included flavoured milk and fruit juice on their lunch order menus, Balderstone said.

A 600ml carton of flavoured milk has the equivalent of 14 teaspoons of sugar. The maximum amount recommended for a child is 3 to 5 teaspoons.

Some schools had asked suppliers to take the drinks off the menu, Balderstone said.

‘‘[The policy] has definitely got them thinking, and that’s the first step - about their environment and their role in this issue, obesity and child health.’’

She said the biggest barrier to change came from pressure to keep parents happy.

‘‘The parents saying oh no it’s just once a week, I want my child to have that choice, they’re allowed a flavoured milk once a week.’’

Some children subverted the policy by putting sugary drinks in nonsee through drink bottles.

Balderstone said some high schools and intermediate schools had two- to five-year contracts with soft-drink suppliers which were difficult to cancel.