National Policy Updates Poland Mirosław Jarosz, Katarzyna Stoś National Food and Nutrition Institute Warsaw, Poland HLG meeting, Brussels, 18.02.2015
This presentation covers: 1. New rules on food and nutrition in Polish schools (amendment to the Act on safety of food and nutrition) 2. Self-regulation on food advertising to children 3. Other activities (programmes)
Food and Nutrition in School In the light of the WHO recommendations on nutrition some activities have been initiated in Poland to implement healthy eating habits and to promote healthier food choices. As a result of legislative initiative - the Act of 28 November 2014 amending the Act on the safety of food and nutrition was created. (the Act shall enter into force on the 1 September 2015) This Amendment in Polish food law concerns food and nutrition of children and adolescents in educational institutions.
The new regulation concerns: rules of sales, advertising and promotion of foods (list of food groups) requirements on nutrition of children and adolescents in nursery schools canteens, other forms of pre-schools, schools (excluding schools for adults) and other units of the educational system canteens
the Act of 28 November 2014 Art. 52 c. 1. In the units of the educational system: 1) only foods covered by groups of foodstuffs intended for sale to children and adolescents in school or other unit may be sold ( the list of food categories set out by the Minister of Health in the regulation); 2) only foods complying with the requirements set out in the regulation of the Minister of Health can be used in school or other unit canteens (food-based standards).
the Act of 28 November 2014 Art. 52c. 2. In the units of the educational system, it is prohibited to advertise and promote foods other than foods covered by categories of foodstuffs intended for sale to children and adolescents in these units (the list of food categories set out by the Minister of Health in the regulation) and foods that do not meet the requirements set out in the regulation of the Minister of Health.
the Act of 28 November 2014 Art. 52c. 3. The Head of the nursery ( ), school or other unit of the educational system can establish, after the consultation with parents, a detailed list of foodstuffs permitted to be sold or used in canteens with the respect to the provisions set out by the Minister of Health in the regulation.
According to the Act of 28 November 2014 amending the act on the safety of food and nutrition, the new regulation is being created by the Minister of Health. The regulation will specify: 1) groups of foodstuffs intended for sale to children and adolescents in the units of the educational system, (for example: milk products, fruits and vegetables) 2) requirements, that the food used in canteens in the units of the educational system must comply with, with a respect to the nutrition standards for children and adolescents and taking into account the nutritional and health value of food. (currently it s under discussion)
Self-regulation in food advertising to children Nutrition criteria (based on EU Pledge) have been developed by the Polish Federation of Food Industry, reviewed and consulted with the National Food and Nutrition Institute in Poland (foods and beverages prohibited: sugar&sugar based products, soft drinks, potatoes chips and snacks) Nutrition criteria became annex to the Code of Ethics in Advertising in 2014.
Self-regulation by the broadcasters The nutrition criteria became part of the agreement signed by 7 major broadcasters (public&private) in Poland on 29 October 2014 http://www.radareklamy.pl/images/dokumenty/zywnos c/porozumienie%20nadawcow.pdf Nutrition criteria apply to all advertising in and around programs aimed at children under 12 from 1 January 2015. Advertisers who want to advertise during and around programs aimed at children under 12 are required to submit declaration of the compliance with the nutritional criteria.
Other activities School Fruit Scheme Programme (www.owocewszkole.org) The Agricultural Market Agency implements an EU School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme, whose purpose is to change eating habits of children by increasing the share of fruit and vegetables in their everyday diet, as well as promoting healthy eating habits by accompanying educational programmes in primary schools. Pupils from I III grades of elementary school and children fulfilling the obligatory one-year pre-school preparation in primary schools are provided with: fresh fruit (apples, pears, strawberries, highbush berries), fresh vegetables (carrots, radishes, sweet peppers, turnip cabbage, cocktail tomatoes) and fruit, vegetable or fruit and vegetable juice. Poland joined this programme in the 2010/2011 school year. The National Food and Nutrition Institute is responsible for evaluation of this programme in Poland.
Other activities National Programme for the prevention of overweight, obesity and non-communicable diseases through diet and improved physical activity (POL-HEALTH 2007-2016) As a realization of the POL-HEALTH Programme in 2008 two monographs for schools were published by the National Food and Nutrition Institute : Healthy diet principles for children and young people and instructions on healthy lifestyle School lunches (with regard to Good Hygiene Practice and the HACCP system for meals served in schools and proposals of 60 healthy menus for canteens) The National Food and Nutrition Institute is also the leader and co-author of Charter of Nutrition and Physical Activity of Children at Schools signed by the Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection of the Republic of Poland, which indicate responsibility of school environment in the area of overweight and obesity or malnutrition as health problems Recommendations for nutrition of children and adolescents School lunches recommendations and proposed menus
"Keep Fit" Programme Other activities The "Keep Fit" Programme is co-organized by the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate, and the Polish Federation of Food Industry - Association of Employers in the implementation of the WHO strategy on diet, physical activity and health. The purpose of the "Keep Fit!" is education for sustainable development of healthy habits among school children by promoting the principles of active lifestyle and balanced diet, based on individual responsibility and free choice of individuals. The programme has already covered about 7000 primary and secondary schools in the entire Poland, that is 3 million pupils.
Other activities The Swiss - Polish Cooperation Programme Preventing overweight and obesity as well as chronic diseases by education on nutrition and physical activity of the society 2011-2016. The main tasks of the Programme are: 1. Nutritional health promotion, with particular emphasis on prevention of overweight and obesity among pregnant women and nursing mothers. 2. Education and implementation of the principles of nutrition in preschools, primary, lower secondary and secondary schools, and the assessment of the impact of education on nutrition, nutritional status and level of knowledge among children and adolescents. Among 1,600 schools and nursery schools, which joined the programme "School and nursery school for proper nutrition and physical activity", more than 850 schools and nursery schools already met all the criteria necessary to obtain a certificate School/Nursery school for Proper Nutrition and Physical Activity. 3. Implementing the principles of rational lifestyle among people with overweight and obesity in the health care system in Poland 4. Dissemination of knowledge about the composition and nutritional value of food, nutrition and health claims and food labeling to influence the formation of rational choices of food products 5. Media campaign
Plans for the future Regulation of the Minister of Health on the list of food categories that may be sold in schools and requirements for food in school and other educational units canteens (from 1 September 2015) Looking forward WHO Nutrient Profiling Model The National Centre of Nutritional Education and Healthy Lifestyle of Society (in the National Food and Nutrition Institute)