Japan School Lunches Rated Most Nutritious Among Developed Nations www.breakingasia.com

A landmark report by the UN’s children agency UNICEF released Tuesday shows Japan topping the charts for childhood health indicators, with low rates of infant mortality and few underweight children.
“School lunches with menus that are created by nutritionists are provided to all primary schools and the majority of junior high schools throughout Japan,” Mitsuhiko Hara, a pediatrician and professor at Tokyo Kasei Gakuin University, told AFP.
The lunches are mandatory — no packed lunches allowed — and while they are not free for most, they are heavily subsidised.
Each meal is designed to have around 600-700 calories balanced between carbohydrates, meat or fish and vegetables.
“School lunch is designed to provide nutrition that tends to be lacking in meals at home,” education ministry official Mayumi Ueda told AFP.