Almost 90 per cent of secondary schools would welcome a national code of practice on food industry sponsorship in schools, a new survey has found.
Michael O'Shea chief executive of the Irish Heart Foundation
The Irish Heart Foundation survey found that over a third of schools relied on commercial sponsorship for PE, sports and IT equipment.
The research, carried out by the National University of Ireland, Galway, found that food sales is the most prevalent form of commercial activity in schools, with tuck shops at 53 per cent, drinks vending machines at 45 per cent and snack vending machines at 28 per cent.
Irish Heart Foundation chief executive Michael O'Shea said: "marketing of energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods to children can have an adverse impact on children's health.
"School food policies need to be established through which issues concerning food availability and industry sponsorship can be tackled," he said.
One-third of schools were found to have healthy eating policies, although the Report of the National Taskforce on Obesity recommends that all schools develop school polices to promote healthy lifestyles.
The Irish Heart Foundation welcomed the Department of Health and Children's Food and Nutrition Guidelines for post primary schools which are to be published later this year.
The full report found on the Iirsh Heart Foundation's web site.