Brazilian schools join the fight against childhood obesity

School cafeterias in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil are enlisted to help encourage healthy eating and tackle the rising obesity rates amongst children.

"Cake? There's no cake here," laughs cook Neide Oliveira as she chops onions for the 650 students of Burle Marx public school in the Curicica neighbourhood, Rio de Janeiro.

Earlier this year Brazilian officials banned ultra-processed foods from schools, and pupils are encouraged to try traditional Brazilian fruits and vegetables such as yams, okra and persimmons.

Judging from how students devour their lunch, the programme is successful, "I like everything they make here, and it's good for my health. At home I eat a lot of junk food, like pizza and hamburgers," says 15-year-old Guilherme.

Marluce Fortunato, nutritionist for the Rio city government, said: “Childhood obesity is an epidemic, not just in Brazil, but worldwide.”

With thirty-one percent of Brazilian children and teens classed as overweight or obese, a recent study by the Desiderata institute found more than 80 percent of five- to 19-year-olds reported eating at least one ultra-processed food recently.

The schools healthy eating programme is just one element of the country’s strategy to tackle rising rates of obesity. In March a national advertising campaign was launched to raise awareness of the health risks of ultra-processed foods, enlisting celebrities and experts to spread the word.