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Review
Following the success of the first ever National Conference on Healthy Vending in Schools, presentations have been made available. Please do not use any material summarised below or within the attachments without referencing the author. Please note that this information was correct as at 02/11/05, and recommendations may change, please follow the links from our homepage for the latest information on school vending.
Dr Anne McConville (Morning Chairperson), Consultant in public health, government office for the East of England – Introduction and welcome.
Dr McConville highlighted the widespread publicity of food in schools. Current trends in vending were also discussed; including the increase in popularity, with sales increasing 10% each year, with the largest proportion of purchasers aged 15-17 years. It is worth noting that only a small percentage (4%) of soft drinks vending machines are located in schools.
Dr Fiona Adshead, Deputy chief medical officer, department of health – Young people and health: a review of policy and the white paper.
Dr Adshead discussed current and proposed strategies in place to improve the health of young people including: improving food in schools by the implementation of food and nutrient based standards; a whole school approach to ensure consistent messages are portrayed through the national curriculum; greater choice of activities and increasing physical activity; and outlined other initiatives to reduce obesity levels. Dr Adshead also emphasised the importance of supporting communities to work together to make changes to improve their health via diet and activity.
Professor Tim Lang, Professor of food policy, City University, London – How food policy relates to young children.
Professor Tim Lang highlighted the increase in childhood obesity over the last 30 years within Europe and in developing countries. This increase has been coupled with an increase in the percent of deaths from non communicable conditions in the developing world.
Major changes have also occurred in food production and food consumption, with a small number of buyers’s now running the whole food supply chain. The food supply chain is very vulnerable to a large range of factors including climate change, water shortage and unemployment. The importance of oil in the distribution of produce and waste was also discussed.
With regards to food policy, he stressed it was important to consider the wider picture – how products are transported, how they are made and where they are produced.
A large proportion of advertising is for foods high in sugar and/or fat, and this has a major influence on children’s food preference and food consumption. This may be a key area to target to alter children’s dietary patterns.
Joe Harvey, Director, Health Education Trust – Healthy vending machines, not a contradiction of terms.
Joe outlined the School Meal Review Panels (SMRP) consultation document recommendations for food in schools and explained the role out period for the proposed guidance. He also discussed the role of the School Food Trust in supporting and advising schools and parents on how to implement the SMRP recommendations. Challenges within the consultation were highlighted, this included vending, which has been shown in 3 studies (see HET vending news) to be a financially viable option in providing easily accessible, healthy drinks and food throughout the day in both schools and leisure centres.
Please click here to view Joe Harvey’s presentation.
Jennette Higgs, Public health nutritionist, Health Education Trust – Guidelines for healthier vending products.
Jennette highlighted that vending in schools should be providing products that contribute positively to a child’s diet. Jennette also outlined the Health Education Trust’s Real Choice Healthy Vending Scheme; explaining the need for good quality nutritious foods and drinks, that meet government regulations for food in schools, to be readily available.
Beelin Baxter wrote the vending toolkit for the Food in Schools initiative alongside Joe Harvey, HET. Follow on work within the East of England Department of Health has included vending in sport and leisure centres.
Questionnaires were sent to sports and leisure centres in the East of England, to discover their current vending facilities. Many sports and leisure centres are located next to a school, so it was concerning that ¼ of these centres were not stocking ‘healthy’ food and drinks within their vending machines. It is clear that this situation needs to change, with 2/3 of all respondents wanting help with their vending provisions.
Please click here to view Beelin Baxter’s presentation.
Jan Podsiadly, Communications manager, Automatic Vending Association – New horizons – the marketing opportunities for vending machines.
Jan outlined the history and role of both vending and the AVA (Automatic Vending Association) and how the range of machines currently available allows a wide variety of products to be dispensed in a simply manner.
His presentation highlighted the value of vending in the school environment, e.g. supporting catering staff in short lunch breaks, and how a vending operation can be set up; by determining demand, discovering positioning of new machinery, discussing product lists and considering contract options.
Ron Maughan, Visiting professor, Loughborough University – Water – how much is enough?
Ron Maughan summarised the importance of hydration, and highlighted that this does not have to be achieved solely through water, but can be achieved through other sources, including food. He also questioned the 6-8 glasses a day recommendation, on the basis that this may not take into account the full contribution made by food.
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