Some soft drinks companies, particularly those whose sales mainly consist of sweetened and fizzy products, have had their bubble burst by an amendment to a new agricultural development law which has been passed by the Sicilian Regional Government: Under this ruling, the only soft drinks that vending machines in Sicily's schools are now allowed to sell are freshly squeezed orange juice and the juice of citrus fruits grown on the island.
The purposes of the initiative are to improve the health of Sicilian children and combat obesity but members of the Italian soft drinks manufacturers' association Assobibe are not happy with the implied link between the consumption of fizzy drinks and poor health. Staff at the Italian Ministry of Education are not bubbling over with enthusiasm at the measure either and a spokesperson said that the the initiative, though encouraging, is not enough as children need to do more exercise in order to avoid becoming obese.
I say, "Well done, Sicily!"
10 comments:
I completely agree. I wish our government would do something like that here, but they are in thrall to the food industry.
Wow! Remarkable!
That's great! It may not solve everything, but what a good start.
You know drinking a litre of orange juice a day wrecked my teeth; I had to have four fillings, one in each back corner of my mouth so by the time I went to my opticians appointment later that afternoon (I was sorting eyes and teeth before I got a job and was chucked off the NHS) I could barely speak... I think that was the day the optician techily told me I was cross-eyed. It was simply tiredness from too many nightshifts....
Suspiciously enough those four fillings were administered in the day when NHS dentists got paid per filling rather than per patient. Amazing how the number of fillings I need has plummetted since that small change in legislation...
I think it is a good move to have fresh local produce.
Hi, Jenny. That's the trouble in so many places, isn't it? Hi, Rosaria and Laura. Yes, a great start. Hi, Gleds. Ah, those were the days!Hi, Cherie. Yes,me too.
You've made me pine for the fresh oranges from our garden. Not many this year. Early Tramontana winds knocked most off. I hope the children appreciate a healthy change.
Hi, Scintilla. Oh, what a pity about the wind. I hope the children appreciate it, too.
Cut down on the pizza and pasta...
I don't think they'll do that, WW!
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