Nutrition experts call for improved school meal standards and support

As the new academic year begins, discussions regarding the impact of nutrition on student performance and health have intensified. SOA Toplu Yemek, a catering provider operating in 22 provinces in Turkey, emphasizes that balanced nutrition is essential for maintaining energy, focus, and motivation in both workplace and school environments.

Melih Can Kocabaş, Deputy Chairman of SOA Toplu Yemek, stated that school meals should go beyond merely satisfying hunger and instead provide nutritional diversity suited to children's developmental needs to support their learning experiences.

Concurrently, Genel Sağlık-İş has called for the implementation of free school meal programs. The organization highlights that inadequate nutrition can lead to growth delays, weakened immune systems, and concentration issues. General President Dr. Derya Uğur argued that ensuring healthy nutrition for children is a fundamental human right and a state responsibility, rather than a matter solely dependent on a family's economic status.