New Delhi: Samosas, bread pakoras, burgers, pizzas and colas might make one’s mouth water, but the health risks posed by them are many. In an attempt to wean schoolchildren off junk food, some city schools are offering healthier options like ‘fruit breaks’. Others have made weekly yoga classes a must for students. Health experts say such initiatives are a step in the right direction as they, coupled with policy changes, are needed to tackle the growing epidemic of childhood obesity and noncommunicable diseases in the country. “Advertisements promoting junk food and carbonated drinks should be banned during children’s programmes. The government should spend more money on promoting healthier food options like milk, green leafy vegetables and fruits,” said Sunita Narain, director of the Center for Science and Environment (CSE). She was addressing a round-table discussion organized by CSE on Tuesday on junk food. It was attended by schoolchildren, teachers, doctors, and social activists who have been fighting to get junk food out of school canteens. Narain suggested that food items sold in the market should have star-rating depending on the amount of fat, salt and added sugars present in them. K Chandramouli, former health secretary, said yoga classes should be made compulsory in schools. “It has become fashionable to go to plush restaurants and order fast-food items. This mindset needs to change. Parents who are not able to spend enough time with their children at home make up for it by taking them out for lunch and dinner frequently. This leads to higher intake of junk foods, which is harmful. Awareness of healthy food options and stress on homemade food is important,” said Dr Akanksha Bahuguna Kaul, health counsellor. She said many south Delhi schools have introduced ‘fruit breaks’ at 10.30am to encourage children to have fruits, a trend that needs to be emulated. According to Dr Sonia Naik, consultant, obstetrics and gynaecology at Sitaram Bhartia Hospital, cases of early puberty in girls are increasing due to lifestyle changes and bad food habits. Asha Rani Singh, who teaches science at Laxman Public School, said they have taken several steps to curb childhood obesity. “In our school, we have restricted sale of aerated drinks and chips. We have introduced substitutes like milk products and different variants of Indian food items that have high nutrient value like salads, upma and rajma chawal,” she said.