Can’t see how this would work. Most schools have a ‘healthy lunch’ policy already in place- where sweets/crisps/fizzy drinks are banned and healthy lunches are insisted upon(well that’s the case in my local school anyway). The problem lies in when the children go home and what they have access to there. I know for a fact that take outs/chipper food are a regular occurrence. Take a look at the trolleys in local dunnes and you see them laden with fast/frozen foods. It shocks me to see what parents are feeding themselves and their children. Yes- education is key- but how can a child change the minds of parents, when ultimately, a lot of the parents themselves need the education on healthy eating even more so than their children.

Great shift the responsibility for food choices onto schools. Children / Teachers don’t fill lunch boxes, parents do. Schools already have Healthy Eating policies and teach healthy eating choices through the SPHE and Science curricula.

It sounds a lot like shifting responsibility to the schools, instead where it belongs; the parents.
Our school has 4 green flags and the involvement of parents has been virtually non-existent.

Parents will have to be educated and more pe at school would be a lot healthier, I think.

Good idea in principle, might also help if kids were allowed to run and play in the schoolyard without the schools being afraid of being sued if Johnny falls and busts his nose…
Also what’s wrong with parents if they need to be told to feed their kids three balanced meals a day (whatever happened to ‘you’ll take what you’re given’), and to actually let them out to play?

Its down to the home.Too many of societies problems are being pushed onto the schools nowadays .

How about making the supermarket aisles containing cakes, crisps and chocolate too narrow for fat people to fit through…
Bring on the red thumbs – I’ll get me coat… ;-)

There is already a scheme in place called active schools flag in primary and secondary schools which this td does not seem to be aware of. it focuses on having all students active, raising awareness and creating links with parents. Don’t see how this healthy flag would work much differently.

Good idea, but food habits are formed at home. Kids start school thinking a home cooked meal is frozen chicken nuggets and a token spoon of peas that you don’t eat without a threat.

I agree with some of these comments regarding the parents attitudes to healthy eating. That’s where the change in attitudes needs to take place. Perhaps parents don’t have the skills, knowledge or time to plan and serve nutritious meals – particularly in disadvantaged areas. I’m a Home Economics teacher and I firmly believe that you are what you eat! However good eating habits are formed in childhood and begin at home. This is a constant challenge for me in school when teaching the students about nutrition and healthy meal planning as attitudes are formed already. What I can only hope for (to keep me sane) is that most of my students will have the knowledge and skills to effect change in their children’s diets. I like the idea of the flag and its a whole school and community approach. If it is planned appropriately parents could be involved and maybe if the government is serious some funding to schools. As already mentioned the cost of obesity and obesity related illnesses to the state are in excess.

As a former teacher, Mr. O’ Donovan should know that this idea already exists, called the Active School Flag and many schools around the country have achieved this status. More information on the flag here: http://www.activeschoolflag.ie/

My son attends a primary school that gets hot lunches and have taken part in a project called “food dudes” they get fruit at little break and veg at lunch and if they eat all of both they get a stamp on their hand every day then after a week they get a treat. The treat is never sweets it has been erasers, pencil sharpeners, juggling balls, pencil case etc. In the beginning children were given checklists to use at home for vegetables they ate there to encourage continuity.

Many of todays youth are simply not suited for soft ground

Schools always try their best but its parents who supply the lunches and decide what their children get for lunch. Healthy eating policies in school largely depend on the goodwill of parents, but all you need is one parent sending in a rubbish lunch with their child to undermine the initiative. I know of cases where schools have been told by same parents that they have a ” constitutional right” to feed their children what they want. Until “mal-feeding” of children by parents is recognised as a form of child abuse, teachers and sensible parents will always struggle to succeed in ensuring full compliance with schools’ healthy eating policies..

as a parent one of the problems in primary schools is that their lunch breaks are too short. it doesn’t give them time for either eating the lunches or having an active play.

If a doctor or teacher suspects a child is being abused in the home they can report it to the relevant authorities
and the parent brought to account. Feeding your child rubbish food that makes them obese and stores up health problems for the future is another form of abuse and neglect and should be treated as such. Parents have to take responsibility for their children’s health.

Oh dear, another flag issue

There already is an Active flag for schools that looks at activity levels and healthy habits of children. Do your research, you muppet.

Many schools already have a healthy eating policy.
Yet another nondescript TD trying to get his name known by talking about something he knows sfa about.

It’s a good idea but healthy eating in school won’t be enough. In my old primary school we weren’t aloud unhealthy foods but yet the “bigger” girls in my class still brought in the sugary juices and those chocolate role yogurt type things-and no one ever said anything to them!
Obesity in primary school children is due to the fault of the parents. Yes a health flag would encourage healthiness it wouldst necessarily have a huge effect.
The exercise idea is good. The children should do proper exercise more often!

Sounds like a good idea. Schools job is to educate. 50% of Americans obese by 2020 according to that guy on the box last night. We need to get moving…literally.

Not too sure about the “flag” idea. Someone might get offended. Sigh!

Another teacher taking credit (green flag) to further his political career. The last thing we need is another primary school teacher lecturing us. The country is ruined and this guy wants a headline. The doctors should be given equal airtime on obesity as they at least know what they are talking about. Politicians are addicted to money and power and grab it at every opportunity – so food addicts will really listen to them.