Students in Scotland appear to prefer lunch from home rather than the new healthier menus being offered at school.
The number of students eating school lunch in Scotland has dropped to 46 percent, the lowest since schools began keeping record in 1999, the Glasgow Herald reported.
The decline comes after an all-time high of nearly 51 percent in 2003, the year after the Scottish Executive's Hungry for Success initiative was launched to reform school meals.
The newspaper said the phenomenon has been blamed on opposition from students whose normal diet consists of fatty foods such as chips, burgers and pizzas.
Nutrition experts say it can take months or even years to change entrenched eating habits, with many students preferring to take a packed lunch or visit nearby carry-out restaurants rather than trying out something new.
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
Related stories:
Attitude determines student success in rural schools
Study investigates qualities of high-achieving schools
While most of the country focuses on ACT scores, student-teacher ratio and rigorous curriculum to increase student success, it may be the commitment to excellence that determines student achievement in rural schools. This is an overlooked, yet critical, factor when considering nearly half of American school districts are in rural areas, educating nearly 21 percent of all students.
Exercising judgment: The psychology of fitness
It’s only been a few weeks since you made that New Year’s resolution to exercise more, but already you’re finding reasons to skip days — maybe even weeks.
Kids eat more fruits, vegetables when schools offer salad bar
A new UCLA study has found that elementary schools can significantly increase the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption among low-income students by providing a lunch salad bar.
Gossip is All About Friends, Physicists Say
The extent and speed that gossip spreads largely depends on how many friends the subject of the gossip has, according to recent work by a group of physicists.
Sleep disturbances affect classroom performance
As a night of bad sleep can have an adverse effect on an adult’s performance at work the next day, an insufficient amount of rest can also have a negative impact on how well middle or high school students perform in the classroom. A study published in the February 15th issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine (JCSM) finds that adolescents who experience sleep disturbances are more likely to receive bad grades in school.
Study: Summer sports camp shapes up positive attitudes, self-esteem
Participation in a national summer day-camp program has a significant effect on the attitudes of children regarding education, self-perception and sportsmanship, according to a new study.
Nutritional info helps lunch lady image
A U.S. study suggests providing nutritional information with high school cafeteria lunch choices improves students' satisfaction with such programs.
Science experiments teach kids to think
A three-year program in Wisconsin's schools is developing new ways to teach science and critical thinking in kindergarten through 12th grade.