School children in EU to get more fruit and vegetables

School children could soon receive free fruit and vegetables in school, under a proposal unveiled by the European Commission on Tuesday (8 July) aimed at reducing the number of overweight children in the EU.

Fresh fruit and vegetables worth €90 million of EU money would be distributed to schools, while member states participating in the programme are to provide matching funds.

The scheme – which will now come before the European Parliament and EU member states for approval – aims to create healthy eating habits among children in order to tackle the steadily rising numbers of obese young people.

Some 22 million children in the 27-nation bloc are currently estimated to be overweight - more than five million of these are obese.

Read the article: EU Observer, 8 July 2008