HEALTHY SCHOOL, HEALTHY IS COOL

KHISSA B. GONZALES, RN

Junk food no more! The Department of Education released DepEd Order 13, s. 2017-Policy and Guidelines on Healthy Food and Beverage Choices in Schools and DepEd Offices last March 14, 2017. Its main objective is to make healthier food options available for students and school personnel. Furthermore, it aims to provide guidelines towards the selling and marketing of the said products. The order took effect immediately and private schools were also encouraged to adopt the guidelines.

Canteen-served food and beverages may be categorized as GREEN, YELLOW and RED. Food and beverages with Nutrition Facts can also be categorized into GREEN, YELLOW and RED based on their content. When a food item is categorized as Green, it means that it can be served daily or always as the guidelines suggest, it contains a wide range of nutrients and is low in fat, sugar and salt. Sold products under the Yellow Category, could only be served twice a week. Although food under this category contains nutrients, they are also reasonably high in fat, sugar and salt according to the guidelines. Lastly, the Red Category sets the boundary between food that should never be served because they contain high amounts of fat, sugar, and salt.

This change brought a challenge to the whole DepEd community. In this time and age where everything is in fast pace, even in the food industry, it is an optimal strategy to instill among students the value of choosing healthy and fresh food. At the student’s young age they are able to dichotomize healthy food from not. In the end, the impact will still reflect on the student’s health and may serve as a good practice not only inside the school premises but also in the home. — oOo— The author is School Nurse (Administrative Aide IV) at Pampanga High School