Not all kids voluntarily eat healthy meals. That’s why in order for them to consume more fruits and vegetables, two states in the US mandated that they be added to every school cafeteria’s menu, ScienceDaily.com reports.

Aiming to find out how federal laws make a difference in the diets of students, researchers from the Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago led by Dr. Daniel Taber analyzed data from California and Mississippi, the only two states that have the said school diet requirements during the time of the study. They found that children who had little access to healthy home food, consumed unhealthy snacks, and ate lunch at school four to five times a week, took in an additional 0.45 cups of fruit and 0.61 cups of vegetables in states with the said requirement as compared to children in states that didn’t.

“Reports in the last few months show that childhood obesity is declining in Mississippi,” Dr. Taber shares.

In the Philippines, the Department of Education has mandated schools to strengthen health and nutrition programs in order to create the habit of cleanliness and healthy eating in children. This, together with the culture of bringing baon to school, may help encourage children eat more fruits and vegetables on a regular basis. Parents can include these healthy treats in their kids’ snack boxes, and even playfully arrange them bento-style for more lunchtime fun. Ensuring a well-balanced diet for kids in and out of home will not only keep them fit and healthy, but will also build the habit of eating right, which they’ll carry until they grow up.

(Photo by gamene via Flickr Creative Commons)