SSTA CALLS FOR TOTAL BAN OF DRINKS MACHINES IN SCHOOLS

The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association today called on all schools to take immediate steps to remove all “fizzy drink” machines from schools as part of the current healthy lifestyles initiative and in order to help improve behaviour in schools.

“It is now well established that healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle are key components of a better education system,” said David Eaglesham, SSTA General Secretary. “Whilst much of the focus with this has been, quite rightly, on food, we want to emphasize the importance of tackling the issue of carbonated drink as well. Whereas the consumption of water has been well documented as being beneficial to learning and health, the consumption of carbonated soft drinks has often been criticised as unhelpful. Many of our members report that pupil behaviour often deteriorates after morning break or lunchtime, and they believe that the effect on pupils of the consumption of significant amounts of sugar within many carbonated drinks is at least partly to blame for this.”

The existing Association policy favours the ready availability of good quality drinking water for pupils and staff as part of a healthy balanced diet.

“There is also an element of concern that a profit motive in the installation and use of vending machines for carbonated drinks may lead to a retention of these machines, even when they are potentially unhelpful with regard to pupil behaviour. We need to ensure that better behaviour and thus better learning, as well as better health, are the priorities in schools, and not the pursuit of profit.”

Further details from:

David Eaglesham
General Secretary

23 December 2005