South Korean Schools to ban Coca Cola, Pepsi

From South Korea, I learn that the Seoul education office issued Sunday a complete ban on the sale of soft drinks at schools, libraries and museums as part of its fight against obesity among teenagers:

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the ban will eventually affect places teenagers frequently visit such as amusement parks. The move comes as more than one in 10 students are considered obese. In 2005, 11.2 percent of elementary students, 10.6 middle school students and 15.8 percent of high school students in Seoul were found to be overweight.

The World Health Organization has continuously warned that soft drinks might be linked to obesity. In line with the warning and the rise of obesity, students will no longer be able to find these drinks at cafeterias, snack stands and vending machines in schools, amusement parks and museums.

The daily intake of soda drinks by teenagers between 13-19 grew 41 percent to 64.1 gram in 2001 on average, from 35 gram in 1998. The move to ban soda drinks at schools was first introduced in 2006. To help enhance students' health, the Government Youth Commission announced their measures forbidding the sale of soft drinks in middle schools, high schools and at training sites for teenagers. Following the commission's plan, the education ministry also instructed municipal and provincial education offices to get rid of soft drinks at schools in 2007.

Actually, Korea's education ministry already announced last year that it is strengthening plans to restrict other obesity causing food such as ramen and fried food at schools in 2008. And most schools have already stopped selling soft drinks. Well done. It is wonderful to see that local government officials realise that they can do something to help kids be more healthy. Feel the squeeze...

The Korean Times: Schools to Go Soda Free