Wanita Gerakan Deputy Chief Ng Siew Lai today welcomes the new guideline by the government to be imposed on the school canteens nationwide. This new guideline specifies the types of food that are banned from being sold at the canteen such as carbonated drinks, hamburger, French fries and many other junk food, it also limits the sale of unhealthy food such as nasi lemak, fried noodle and etc. Ng also hopes that the school would ban the canteen from selling various types of packet junk food, sweets and icy drinks with coloring.

Ng says, a child’s dietary habit would affect the child’s physical development, hence, unhealthy eating habit could cause damage to the physical development of the children. In the United States, the US government had totally banned the sale of junk food in the school canteen many years ago to curb the issue of obesity among the children. Unhealthy junk foods not only cause obesity but also hyperactivity among the children, which are both detrimental to the physical development of the children at their growing up ages.

Ng, who is also the Penang Gerakan Wanita Chief finds that the dietary issue is not the sole responsibility of the schools, in fact, parents hold the greater duty to ensure that the children practice the correct eating habit.

Ng says, parents should consider preparing food for the children to be brought to the school should time persists, which is both healthy and economical way to do. For parents who couldn’t find time to do that, buying healthy food e.g. wholesome bread or biscuits could be an alternative.

Ng says, the dietary habit at home would determine the choices of food that children makes, hence, parents should instill healthy eating habits and concept at home.