New recipes for lunchboxes will reduce junk food and provide a more balanced diet
Lunchbox providers to 500 primary schools have been given a list of healthy recipes in a government campaign to reduce obesity and promote good eating.
Nearly 400,000 children from 500 whole-day schools are expected to benefit from the recipes sent to lunchbox suppliers by the Department of Health.
Regina Ching Cheuk-tuen, assistant director of the Centre for Health Protection, said: 'Everyone has noticed that schoolchildren are getting fatter and fatter. In Hong Kong, obesity among schoolchildren increased from 16.4 per cent in 1997-1998 to 18.7 per cent last year.
'Children here often spend eight hours at school, often starting the day with a snack for breakfast followed by maybe junk food for lunch. A lot of times parents and schools are not aware.'
She cited research by the Health Department that found only 14.6 per cent of lunchbox providers supplied vegetables every day. Not one lunchbox provided a balanced diet featuring the five food groups and 4.9 per cent provided schools with processed food more than twice a week.