National lunch program needed, says UPEI food and nutrition professor

A UPEIfood and nutrition professor says she wasn't surprised to see the results of a University of British Columbia study that gives children a failing grade for not eating healthy at school.

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"We've done some research in P.E.I. on Grade 5 and 6 children and have found similar things, although this study was different in that they used the Canadian community health survey data which is a huge nationwide survey," said Jennifer Taylor.

The study looked at what children ate between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. to capture what they were eating during school hours compared to what they ate outside those hours.

"So if you think about it in that time period between nine and two children could have, they might have breakfast although unlikely at nine, most programs are finished by that point," said Taylor referring to school breakfast programs.

Concern continues

"The general message is that there continues to be concerns in spite of having nutrition policies in place in every province and territories is not a surprise to me."

Taylor said there are challenges to making improvements because there is not a national school lunch program.

"What we've done is piecemeal programs," said Taylor.

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