Alarm on the scale! A third of our children and young people are already overweight and at the same time have a nutritional deficiency. A current survey of 5,000 students by the association “Land Creates Life” and the Federal Student Representative Council clearly shows that this problem can and should be addressed in the classroom.
Our young people lack a balanced diet in the school canteen and there is very little about healthy eating in the curriculum. So if we want to be a healthier society, we have to start with what we feed our children.
There are two major levers available for this at school: on the one hand, daily meals, and on the other hand, nutritional education in the classroom. Much of this currently depends on the voluntary efforts of schools, but that is not enough. Clear political conditions are needed – nationally.
Nutrition and cooking are just as important as ABC
“The school of tomorrow must be a place where a healthy lifestyle is taught,” calls on those responsible, federal school spokesman Marius Hladik. It is high time that affordable, healthy food is offered in all schools. And that all students in the class learn more about the effects of their diet on the body and mind, on the climate, the environment and how to handle food.
This demand is supported by the new research, because young people would like to see changes in the curriculum as quickly as possible. Subjects such as cooking should be a fixed point in the timetable – in all types of schools, from secondary schools to vocational training courses. No fewer than 46 percent of students expressed this wish – and what may come as a surprise to many: young men are also very interested in it.
“So what are we waiting for?” asks Maria Fanninger, who has been researching and analyzing all these topics in detail together with Hannes Royer and her association “Land Creates Life” for more than ten years. “We are looking for food,” Royer summarizes.
Almost half of all students want to learn to cook
The ball is in the court of the Ministry of Health and Education, as is clear from the survey results collected in our schools: almost half of the students surveyed not only want cooking lessons, but also want to learn more about health and nutrition. Animal welfare, agriculture, food waste and climate are also among the topics that many respondents would like to learn more about in the classroom.
As many as 87 percent want to learn more from their teachers about how nutrition affects physical health. Perhaps future generations will actually achieve a change of heart that will keep them fit and benefit them even after retirement.
Because we Austrians get a maximum of ‘enough’ in the ‘healthy years of life’ category. On average, we spend only 61 healthy years. For comparison: in Italy it is more than seven years longer! Excess weight not only burdens our body, but also our already weak health system. We must therefore quickly respond to the smart wishes of our children and thereby give them more interest in school.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
