Expert Calls for Radical Change in School Nutrition Organization

President of the National Institute of Industry Nutrition Vladimir Chernigov called for a fundamental change in the approaches to organizing school nutrition in Russia. In his opinion, social nutrition, including school nutrition, should be placed under special regulation.

Reasons and Initiatives

The expert emphasized that the issue of organizing social nutrition is currently under active discussion. On November 17, possible changes to federal legislation regulating this area were already considered in the State Duma. A conference is planned in St. Petersburg in the near future, where the experience of a region that already has its own law on social nutrition will be presented.

Experience of St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg has a specialized state body responsible for social nutrition. This makes the city unique in Russia and could serve as an example for other regions.

Goals of the Changes

The goal of the reforms is to improve nutrition science and prevent diseases by optimizing the diet of children in educational institutions. The expert believes that such measures will help improve the quality of nutrition and reduce risks associated with improper eating habits.

Prospects

A complete transition of Russian schools to healthy nutrition may take 5–7 years. Further discussions and the development of new regulations aimed at improving the nutritional conditions for schoolchildren are expected in the near future.