Sri Lanka bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity

Sri Lanka’s education ministry has begun enforcing a nationwide ban on fast food and sugary snacks in schools, covering items such as burgers, pizza, ice cream, doughnuts, hot dogs, deep‑fried snacks, flavored milk, energy drinks and condiments like tomato sauce. The policy applies to schools serving roughly four million students and aims to curb rising rates of childhood obesity, with 12 % of 13‑ to 17‑year‑olds classified as overweight and an additional 3 % as obese in 2024.

Schools are instructed to replace prohibited foods with healthier options such as rice, fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, fresh milk and natural fruit juices, and the ministry has supplied recipes using locally available ingredients. The ban also prohibits schools from accepting sponsorships from companies that market unhealthy food products. The measure comes amid broader nutritional challenges, including UNICEF’s estimate that about 17 % of children under five are stunted and World Bank data indicating that roughly a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line.