By Milliam Murigi
In Kenya, eye-catching billboards and online advertisements are transforming school meals into promotional tools. Private schools enthusiastically display menus featuring chips, sausages, chapatis, and soft drinks as indicators of contemporary care.
Many parents find these promises attractive. A school that not only educates but also provides "good" meals for their children. However, beneath the attractive advertisements and tempting food lists is an increasing health issue.
Schools in Kenya are gradually turning into environments where non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart conditions, are increasingly prevalent.
The menu played a role in my choice when I was searching for a school for my daughter. I appreciated that they regularly serve chips, eggs, and juice. It seemed like a good value for the price. However, recently, I've noticed she hardly ever wantsugali"or vegetables at home," says Grace Wambui, a parent at a private school in Kiambu county.
Her daughter's school is not the only one providing these kinds of meals. Throughout the nation, many private schools are offering students highly processed, high-calorie meals as part of a "contemporary school experience." Parents, wanting to provide their children with a sense of comfort, are unintentionally supporting a lifestyle that negatively affects their children's future health.
The cause is that consistently eating ultra-processed foods leads to higher body fat and cholesterol, contributing to childhood obesity. This condition makes people more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure at a young age, and increases the chances of experiencing heart disease and specific types of cancer later in life.
As stated by James Kimani, a private school owner, adding items such as chips and sausages to his institution's meal plan is a choice influenced by the preferences of both parents and students. He emphasizes that the intention is not to encourage poor dietary habits, but rather to make sure children feel at ease, content, and inspired to study.
"We offer these foods because that's what most children are accustomed to at home. Parents hope their children will enjoy school and feel at ease. We attempt to maintain a balance by incorporating fruits and vegetables, but if we entirely eliminate the popular items, many parents could become unhappy," explains Kimani.
He mentions that his school is willing to modify its menus if national dietary recommendations are implemented, pointing out that schools alone cannot address these behaviors; it must begin within families as well.
As stated by Zipporah Bukania, a nutrition expert at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), it's not just the school meals that are leading to poor dietary practices; the school setting itself also plays a role. For instance, in numerous public schools, students are provided with dishes like githeri, rice and lentils, ugali and vegetables, which are basic, cost-effective, and healthy. Nonetheless, not every parent can cover the school meal costs, prompting some to provide their children with a small amount of money to purchase food from local vendors.
Near many schools, you can see vendors offering fried foods, sweet drinks, and pastries," Bukania says. "These are the most affordable and easy-to-reach choices, and they are also quietly contributing to the rise of non-communicable diseases in Kenya.
She states that these vendors have taken their services a step further to make their business highly convenient for students, providing food according to the amount of money a person has. This easy availability motivates students to choose these snacks instead of healthier school meals.
"Some students inform their parents that they dislike the meals served at school in order to receive money for snacks. Since these foods are readily accessible and convenient, the environment encourages poor dietary choices," she states.
As per the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS), the prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing, especially in cities where private schools are prevalent. This is due to children eating more fried and sweet foods, while traditional, healthy options are being ignored as "food for the poor."
As Wambui explains, this shift in eating habits is not random. Educational institutions are now vying for student enrollment by providing food that caters to children's preferences, in contrast to the past, when academic achievements and behavior were the primary factors considered by parents when selecting a school.
According to Bukania, the results are already evident. The nation is witnessing the impact of these conditions on children's health. Currently, approximately 39 percent of all deaths in healthcare facilities are linked to non-communicable diseases. Even more concerning is the fact that over half of these cases now involve individuals under the age of 40, indicating that the next generation is in danger.
"The school setting significantly influences long-term dietary behaviors. The foods children encounter every day, such as nutritious meals provided at school or the fried treats available just beyond the entrance, shape the decisions they will make later in life. By making unhealthy food a common presence in schools, we are raising a generation that considers poor eating habits as standard," explains Bukania.
She points out that the issue goes beyond what children consume; it also involves how little physical activity they get. In the past, before smartphones and streaming services, kids could eat and then burn off the calories by playing outdoors. However, today's generation is constantly attached to screens. This lack of movement, along with poor eating habits, is leading to a hidden crisis of obesity, diabetes, and even high blood pressure among children in school.
What policies are in place for regulating school feeding programs in a country? Bukania mentions that in Kenya, the Ministry of Health is currently developing policies and legal frameworks to tackle the school environment and access to certain processed foods. The framework will also control the sale and promotion of processed foods near schools. However, this process is still in its initial phase. It will need significant advocacy since these are also local businesses.
Her suggestions? There is a need to create school meal guidelines to guarantee that each child, irrespective of the school they go to, receives healthy and cost-effective meals. She also highlights the significance of educating school officials, particularly those running private institutions, about the lasting risks associated with poor dietary choices.