Gu Jia/Shanghai Daily news
Though the caffeine and sugar in Coca-cola are not the only factors leading
to obesity in children, most local primary and middle schools, in consideration
of the health of their students, still ban carbonated soft-drinks from being
sold on-campus.
A newly-passed Beverage Association-ban on selling Coca-cola
on the campuses of American primary schools has aroused discussion in the
city.
Local primary and middle schools don't admit vending machines, and
drinking water is specially supplied on campus.
However, as long as the
school canteen is licensed to sell food and beverages by the relevant government
department, school officials cannot interfere too much in the specifics of its
business.
Wang Weihang, the principal of the Eastern branch of the Shanghai
Experimental School, expressed his helplessness when it comes to perfecting the
food habits of his students, as the soft drinks are in reality their
favorite.
However Zhao Yali, the secretary-general of the China Beverage
Industry Association, considered that lack of exercise was what contributed most
to obesity in children, and not their drinking of too much Coca
cola.