New healthy eating drive at Glasgow schools

The move is designed to further encourage healthy eating habits by removing easy access to unhealthy food in nearby shops and fast-food outlets. Pupils will also be encouraged to participate in sports and other healthy and fun lunchtime clubs. Youngsters will be able to benefit from the Fuel Zone incentive scheme. It aims to encourage healthy meal choices with pupils being able to exchange reward points accumulated over a term for ipods and movie tickets etc. The schools involved so far include St Paul's High, Castlemilk High, Govan High, Whitehill Secondary, St Mungo's Academy, All Saints Secondary, Lochend Community High and St Thomas Aquinas Secondary. Councillor Steven Purcell, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "I am calling on our young people to take responsibility and accept my challenge to make this pilot a success. It is a simple step to choose to eat a well-balanced lunch, especially as our award winning school meals are considered to be among the best in the country. Only you can improve your diet and give yourself the best chance to live a healthy life. "I am also challenging parents to give their full backing to this initiative and support their children, school and teachers in this bid to improve lifestyles. This pilot is giving you the easy option to eat healthily. I would urge all the young people to grab this chance with both hands and take the easy option." Gerry Lyons, head teacher at All Saints Secondary School, commented on some of the responses so far: "The S1 pupils are really enjoying the variety of lunchtime activities on offer and the opportunity to learn the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle including eating a nutritious, balanced diet. "I think it is crucial that we work with the young people, encouraging them to embrace this initiative, listening to their ideas and suggestions and not just dictate to them."