Letters: Dodging junk food

This refers to Sunita Narain's column "Junk games and schoolchildren" (Down to Earth, April 28). It would be ideal to "ban" everything unhealthy keeping in mind our physical as well as mental health, in particular for the schoolchildren. But is it practically possible or feasible? If we were allowed to publicly make a list of all the "junk food" available, it would be endless.

A better and workable option will be to demonstrate our faith that what we believe is junk will not be allowed in any individual's life in a family - whatever they do or wherever they stay. This has to start from the parents.

Schools should demonstrate to children how junk food is not good for health. At the same time, let there be positive messages and rewards for observing "no junk food" weeks in schools and families should reward their children for not indulging in junk food. There could be other options, but "banning" is certainly not one of them.

Ashok Chakrabarty Kolkata

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