COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
Resolution ResAP(2005)3
on healthy eating in schools
(Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 14 September 2005
at the 937th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)
The Committee of Ministers, in its composition restricted to the Representatives of the states of the Council of Europe which are members of the Partial Agreement in the Social and Public Health Field,1
Recalling Resolution (59) 23 of 16 November 1959 on the extension of the activities of the Council of Europe in the social and cultural fields;
Having regard to Resolution (96) 35 of 2 October 1996, revising the structures of the Partial Agreement in the Social and Public Health Field, and resolved to continue, on the basis of revised rules replacing those set out in Resolution (59) 23, the activities hitherto carried out and developed by virtue of that resolution aimed in particular at:
a. raising the level of health protection of consumers in its widest acceptation: constant contribution to the harmonisation – in the field of products having a direct or indirect impact on the human food chain as well as in the field of pesticides, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics – of legislation, regulations and practices governing, on the one hand, product quality, efficiency and safety controls, and on the other hand, the safe use of toxic or noxious products;
b. integrating people with disabilities into the community: defining and contributing to the implementation at European level of a model of coherent policy for people with disabilities which takes account simultaneously of the principles of full citizenship and independent living; contributing to the elimination of all barriers to integration, whether psychological, educational, family-related, cultural, social, professional, financial or architectural;
Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve greater unity between its members for the purpose of facilitating their economic and social progress;
Considering that access to safe and healthy food is a fundamental human right and that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child specifically makes reference to:
a. institutions, services and facilities responsible for the care or protection of children which shall conform with the standards established by competent authorities, particularly in the areas of safety and health (Article 3.3);
b. the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health (Article 24.1);
c. the provision of adequate nutritious foods and clean drinking water (Article 24.2 (c));
Having regard to the evidence that there is a highly significant rise in Europe in the prevalence of childhood and adult overweight and obesity and its associated problems;
Considering the potential benefits of healthy eating in influencing the capacity for learning and educational attainment;
Considering that the provision of education and of healthy food in schools can influence what young people consume both in school and in general;
Considering that early eating patterns often have a considerable influence on adult eating patterns and that there is a tendency for obese children to become obese adults which means that this is an issue which should be addressed in the early years of life, and that parents as well as schools have a role to play in both food provision and education;
Having regard to the context of the European Network of Health Promoting Schools (ENHPS) which advocates a whole-school approach to the promotion of healthy eating which would encompass such features as healthy food provision in schools, education on healthy eating, the promotion of physical activity and the active involvement of pupils in developing healthy-eating strategies within school life;
Having regard to Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1244 (1994) on food and health;
Having regard to the conclusions of the “European Forum on Eating at School – Making Healthy Choices” held on 20 and 21 November 2003;
Having regard to Recommendation Rec(2003)6 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on improving physical education and sport for children and young people in all European countries;
Considering that one of the Council of Europe’s priorities is to have greater synergy with other international agencies;
Having regard to the First Action Plan for Food and Nutrition Policy of the World Health Organization (WHO) (2000-2005) to World Health Assembly Resolution WHA55.23 (2002) which urged member states to develop national plans of action on nutrition and physical activity;
Recommends that the governments of the States members of the Partial Agreement in the Social and Public Health Field, based on the measures contained in the appendix to this resolution, and having due regard to their specific constitutional structures, national, regional or local circumstances, as well as their economic, social, cultural and technical situation, as well as to national approaches to school meals:
a. review the practices of food provision in schools to determine the extent to which these practices (or the absence of these practices) are compliant with, or are an integral part of, a health-promoting school approach;
b. consider the elaboration of national provisions and nutritional standards for the provision of food in schools, which:
- acknowledge the changing health situation and lifestyles of young people in Europe;
- take into account the good practices in the provision of healthy food in schools in Europe as demonstrated at the European Forum on Eating at School;
- contribute to the promotion of the health of young people;
- involve the pupils and all stakeholders in this process;
- are integrated into the health-promoting school approach;
- have inbuilt systems of monitoring and evaluation;
c. consider the development of assistance measures at national and regional level support schools in the adoption and implementation of policies for healthy eating. These measures could include start-up financial support and practical tools for the implementation and the development of quality assessment systems.
Appendix to Resolution ResAP(2005)3
National provisions should be broad in scope and could include the following issues provided as examples:
- developing nutritional standards;
- promoting the consumption of fruit and vegetables as snacks and as an important part of meals;
- ensuring the provision of healthy alternatives for drinks, such as fresh water and low-fat or fat-free milk;
- reducing the consumption of products high in sugar, salt and fats;
- actively managing the eating environment, including not only the dining room but vending machines and other food and drink outlets;
- developing policies concerning in-school marketing of food and beverages;
- establishing pricing policies;
- actively involving parents, young people and other stakeholders in the planning process;
- utilising information technology to facilitate healthy choices;
- working with food producers and food-service operators on specific healthy products;
- considering issues relating to sustainability, waste and the environment;
- reviewing the curriculum relating to healthy eating to ensure that all young people leave school with the necessary knowledge and skills concerning the production, purchasing, preparation, cooking and enjoyment of healthy food;
- reviewing the in-service training needs of all those involved in food production and food preparation and the associated curricula in schools;
- identifying the partners and stakeholders, in particular non-governmental organisations (NGOs), which have a specific role to play and proposing mechanisms to facilitate this task;
- considering links between the promotion of healthy eating in school and the health-promoting school approach;
- proposing sustainable mechanisms to monitor and evaluate any changes that result from new policies;
- ensuring that while the reduction of obesity is a major goal, no young person is hungry or undernourished at school;
- developing practical tools to support communities in the implementation of provisions concerning healthy eating in their schools.
Glossary
Health promotion in schools: Any action in schools and within their communities that protects or improves the health of all school users.
Whole-school approach: An approach to health promotion in schools that is not only focused on the formal curriculum, but which also integrates the more general aspects of school life such as school/parental links, school/community links, food provision, the school environment and policies for healthy eating. This approach recognises that one cannot only look at nutrition in isolation in order to understand an issue such as obesity or underweight. Physical activity levels, social factors, emotional health, smoking behaviour or genetic predisposition are examples of other issues which may be interlinked in relation to problems of overweight or underweight.
European Network of Health Promoting Schools: (www.euro.who.int/enhps). A network of 43 European countries actively involved in health promotion in schools. The network is holistic and democratic in its approach and it encourages a partnership model being applied to the whole school and not only to the formal curriculum. The network has an international planning committee involving a partnership between the WHO, regional office for Europe, the Council of Europe and the European Commission.
Obesity: As the direct measurement of body fat is difficult, Body Mass Index, a simple weight to height ratio (kg/m2), is used to classify obese and overweight adults. WHO has published international standards and obesity is defined as a Body Mass Index of 30kg/m2 or higher. The international Obesity task force has now proposed that a modified version of the above cut off point should be applied to the definition of obesity in children. Overweight is defined as a Body Mass Index of 25-30kg/m2.
