A healthy school lunch and more physical activity at primary school help tackle overweight

According to the report, introducing a school lunch and more physical activity could achieve a large part of the ambitions of the National Prevention Agreement for children who are overweight or obese by 2040. The report also states that parents, children and primary schools are all positive about a healthy school lunch and more physical activity at school as ways to combat overweight.

The cost of a lunch at school is €2.40 per day, and €4.50 per day when combined with additional physical activities. Parents indicate that they are willing to pay €1.75 per day per child for this. As this does not cover all the costs, additional financial support is needed.

Self-service lunch

Having a healthy lunch together at school can work well with a self-service lunch. In this setup, children prepare a healthy lunch themselves at school. With a self-service lunch, children eat more fruit, vegetables and wholegrain bread, and drink more milk and water and fewer sugar-sweetened beverages. A caterer can be engaged to organise such a self-service lunch, or schools can organise it themselves. Good coordination is essential in that case. More physical activity at school could, for example, be encouraged by incorporating more activity breaks between lessons. Staff from out-of-school care programmes and community sports coaches from municipalities can be called upon for additional sports and games activities.

The study was commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and carried out by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Maastricht University, Wageningen University & Research and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, following earlier successful regional projects involving healthy school lunches and more physical activity in primary education.

The authors are Anoukh van Giessen (RIVM), Marije Oosterhoff (Maastricht University), Jeljer Hoekstra (RIVM), Eelco Over (RIVM), Manuela Joore (Maastricht University Medical Center+), Onno van Schayck (Maastricht University), Maartje Willeboordse (Maastricht University), Coosje Dijkstra (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Jaap Seidell (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), Ellen van Kleef (Wageningen University & Research), Han Soethoudt (Wageningen University & Research), Monique Vingerhoeds (Wageningen University & Research).

Click here for the report and the accompanying letter to the House of Representatives.