Delhi govt recommends extra snack break to battle malnutrition

The directorate of education (DoE) has asked schools to hold counselling sessions with parents and introduce a snack break, in addition to the existing lunch break, besides adopting alternative recipes with high nutritional values in mid-day meals.

In order to address the malnutrition in children and its impact on learning levels, the Delhi government’s directorate of education (DoE) has asked schools to implement a number of strategies to identify students with low BMI (body mass index).

The department is conducting medical check-ups of students identified with low BMI. (HT Photo)

The department has asked schools to hold counselling sessions with parents and introduce a snack break, in addition to the existing lunch break, besides adopting alternative recipes with high nutritional values in mid-day meals.

In a directive to schools on Saturday, DoE said it had surveyed the heights and weights of all students in government schools in November. The department is conducting medical check-ups of students identified with low BMI.

DoE also shared that a Delhi government school had conducted a pilot project to find out the nutritional status of the students in the school and BMI and had adopted strategies such as parental counselling sessions, medical check-ups, mini snack breaks, and alternative recipes during mid-day meals to overcome the issue of malnutrition.

“Result obtained on implementation of these strategies was very satisfying in the pilot project. Thus, it is needed to extend best practices and interventions adopted by the school to other government schools for students requiring nutritive care in order to facilitate effective learning at the school level,” stated the circular issued by Himanshu Gupta, director, education. Gupta wrote that these practices could be implemented in other government schools in the capital.

As part of the interventions, schools have now been asked to hold parental counselling sessions to inform parents about the relationship between a healthy diet and its impact on academics and child growth. “The counselling session should also focus on encouraging parents to make low cost high nutritive value dishes as suggested by home science teachers at school,” stated the directive to schools.

Schools have also been directed to incorporate a mini snack break of 10 minutes in addition to the lunch break. A weekly planner of healthy snacks indicating three choices per day also needs to be displayed in schools. Students will be expected to bring at least one food item mentioned in the weekly planner for the mini snack break. The head of school along with home science faculty will monitor the implementation of the weekly planner, DoE added.

Additionally, class teachers will have to maintain a record of the height and weight of each student enrolled in the class. “This record must be correlated with general health so that children at risk of malnutrition may be identified on time and their parents are informed,” stated the circular. DoE added that the adoption of suggested strategies will strengthen the nutritive requirements of students with low BMI scores and reduce absenteeism of students in schools owing to poor health conditions.