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Vending Machines and Cardiovascular Prevention: How to Implement Healthy Dietary Habits at School

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Abstract

Too many children in Europe are overweight. The unregulated marketing of unhealthy products target to children, and the installation of vending machines stocked with unhealthy snacks in public venues, are contributing factors. While innovative legislation on the regulation of the nutritional quality of food and beverages sold in vending machines in schools has become law in some European countries, it is not on the political agenda in others. However, an easy alternative solution could be to introduce a clause in all new tenders for vending machines, which states that the successful supplier must commit to ensuring that at least 50% of the products sold have a medium-to-small portion size, are low in saturated fat, salt, calories, and have no added sugar. This strategy, called “A vending machine for a friend”, was developed at CNR of Rome, and with the support of the SIPREC, the LHA and the EHN, and with the alliance with teachers and students, is being rolled out in some Italian and Lithuanian high schools. Creating a healthy nutritional environment with the aim of encouraging healthier choices, is a real possibility.

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Acknowledgements

Working group: Roberto Volpe, National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Rome and SIPREC; Gianluca Sotis, CNR, Rome, Italy; Silvana Moscatelli, CNR, Rome, Italy; Bisan Abdulkader, Central European University (CEU), Budapest, Hungary; Sarah Marchant, UNICEF Office of Research—Innocenti, Florence, Italy; Sigita Glaveckaite, Lithuanian Heart Association, Vilnius, Lithuania; Tommaso Felici, Italian League Against Cancer (LILT), Latina, Italy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Rome, Italy

    Roberto Volpe

  2. Italian Society for Cardiovascular Prevention (SIPREC), Rome, Italy

    Roberto Volpe

  3. UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti, Florence, Italy

    Sarah Marchant

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  1. Roberto Volpe
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  2. Sarah Marchant
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Correspondence to Roberto Volpe.

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Funding

Funding has been received for the project, ‘A vending machine for a friend: a way to encourage healthier choices at school and reduce overweight’ from the European Heart Network.

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The corresponding author states there is no conflict of interest.

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Not required for this type of study.

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The co-author is writing in her personal capacity. The contents of this paper do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of UNICEF.

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Volpe, R., Marchant, S. Vending Machines and Cardiovascular Prevention: How to Implement Healthy Dietary Habits at School. High Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev 27, 417–419 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40292-020-00397-8

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