Most lunch boxes prepared for pupils at primary school contain too much meat and could result in obesity and high levels of cholesterol, a specialist in paediatrics has warned.
Most lunch boxes from school suppliers contain large quantities of meat and few vegetables, Dr Leung Shuk-fong said.
'Besides, they are too salty and oily,' she said. 'It is difficult for vegetables to keep fresh in the manufacturing process. Most suppliers prefer frozen meat to save costs because it can be stored for a longer period.'
Dr Leung, who was attending a seminar on children's health yesterday, said that for the physiques of ethnic Chinese, a low-fat diet was most suitable.
'Children are likely to suffer from obesity and high cholesterol in the long run as a result of eating too much food with high levels of fat,' she said.
A Department of Health survey of pupils in 1999 showed that the rate of obesity was 3.2 per cent at primary schools and 11 per cent at secondary schools.