Kazakhstan fixes school diets: less sugar/salt, more vegetables
The Ministry of Healthcare introduced a new Dietary Standard for school students, mandating a significant reduction in unhealthy components and boosting fresh produce, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Nurkan Sadvakassov, Deputy Chairman of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Control Committee, stated that since 2023, the state has provided free hot meals to all elementary school students and specific categories of children eligible for targeted social assistance.
"However, our analysis showed that student diets contain too much salt, sugar, and fat. Meanwhile, students consume insufficient vegetables, fruits, and dairy products. Such imbalances contribute to the development of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases as early as childhood. Recognizing the scale of the problem, the state prioritized the organization of healthy school nutrition. The new Dietary Standard approved by the Minister of Healthcare's order of March 4, 2025, came into effect on September 1, 2025," said Sadvakassov.
He stated that the new Dietary Standard applies to all educational organizations: kindergartens, schools, colleges, and health camps.
The Standard is based on modern international approaches to healthy eating, Nurkan Sadvakassov reported.
The key changes mandate the following:
- A 3.6-fold reduction in sugar and a 5-fold decrease in salt.
- An increase in the proportion of vegetables, fruits, and dairy products.
- Elimination of sausages, smoked meats, and spreads—foods high in sugar and salt.
- Replacement of sugary drinks with water, milk, fruit teas, and reduced-sugar compotes.
The Standard also contains specific requirements for organizing meals in small schools and providing meals for children with special dietary needs.
The speaker highlighted that the practical implementation of the Standard involves developing multi-variant standard menus with due consideration of age-specific needs, calorie content, and seasonality. The standard menu is advisory and allows schools to adapt it based on the opinions of parents and children, as well as the availability of local produce.
As earlier reported, researchers have stirred the pot with a study suggesting that slurping down Ramen three or more times a week might carry health risks
