What's in Filipino children's school snacks?

A new Rappler show explores the sugar, salt, and fat content in children's favorite store-bought snacks and their impact on future health.

MANILA, Philippines – Children are often picky eaters, making it a challenge for parents to select snacks for their school baon. Many opt for convenient, tasty treats from grocery stores. But how much sugar, salt, and fat do these contain? How might they affect children's long-term health? And could front-of-pack warning labels change how we choose these items?

Host Steph Arnaldo interviews a group of parents, their children, and registered nutritionist Shay Castillo to uncover the true contents of kids' baon. The show is produced in partnership with the Healthy Philippines Alliance.

Tune in starting Monday, December 29, at 3 p.m. on Rappler.com. Steph Arnaldo serves as host and producer, with contributions from JC Gotinga, Leone Requilman, Camille Zarate, and others in the team.

Verwandte Artikel

Family at dinner table with healthy foods, children independently choosing portions, mother smiling supportively.
Bild generiert von KI

Wellness Mama founder Katie Wells says giving children autonomy around food can reduce power struggles

Von KI berichtet Bild generiert von KI Fakten geprüft

Katie Wells, founder of Wellness Mama, says she tries to encourage healthy eating in her family by offering mostly nutrient-dense foods at home, avoiding food rewards and punishments, and letting her children decide what—and how much—to eat.

Senator Raffy Tulfo has refiled Senate Bill 1668, aiming to introduce a health rating system on packaged food labels to help Filipinos make healthier choices. The proposed ratings, from 1 to 5 with 5 being the most nutritious, would assess calories, saturated fat, sodium, sugar, and fiber, supplementing existing nutrition facts. However, a nutritionist warns it might promote a simplistic view of food as simply 'good' or 'bad'.

Von KI berichtet

Ein im Senat in Prüfung befindliches Gesetzesvorhaben will den Verkauf und die Werbung für ultraverarbeitete Lebensmittel in Schulkantinen verbieten, unterstützt von 72 % der Bevölkerung laut Datafolha. Während Gesundheitsexperten die Maßnahme zur Bekämpfung von Adipositas und anderen Krankheiten begrüßen, halten Gegner sie für paternalistisch und fordern stattdessen Investitionen in die Ernährungserziehung. Die Debatte wurde in Meinungsbeiträgen in der Folha de S.Paulo im Februar 2026 hervorgehoben.

The Japan Times published 'Bento basics every parent needs to know' on March 18, 2026. It advises parents there is no need to think out of the box for kids' packed lunches, with the goal of keeping them simple and nutritious. Keywords include recipes, rice, meat and Japanese cuisine.

Von KI berichtet Fakten geprüft

A four-year study from the University of Southern California finds that greater intake of ultra-processed foods is linked to higher odds of prediabetes and early insulin resistance in young adults aged 17 to 22.

A three-paper series in The Lancet by 43 international experts warns that ultra-processed foods are rapidly transforming diets around the world and are consistently linked to poorer health outcomes. The authors call for urgent, coordinated policy measures to curb corporate influence, reduce production and marketing of these products, and make healthier foods more accessible, arguing that waiting for more trials risks further entrenching ultra-processed foods in global food systems.

Von KI berichtet

December festivities encourage food indulgence, but nutritionists recommend strategies to prevent health issues from overeating.

 

 

 

Diese Website verwendet Cookies

Wir verwenden Cookies für Analysen, um unsere Website zu verbessern. Lesen Sie unsere Datenschutzrichtlinie für weitere Informationen.
Ablehnen