Sri Lanka Bans Burgers, Pizza and Ice Cream in Schools Nationwide

(Burgers, Pizza, Ice Cream. Photo by News Age)

Sri Lanka has introduced a nationwide ban on junk food in schools, prohibiting items such as burgers, pizzas, hot dogs, doughnuts, ice cream, biscuits, deep-fried snacks, flavoured milk, energy drinks and condiments including tomato sauce.

The policy, rolled out by the education ministry and now being enforced across schools serving approximately four million students, targets foods high in sugar, salt and fat amid rising concerns over childhood obesity and diet-related illnesses.

Health authorities say poor eating habits among children are increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases including diabetes, heart disease and cancer in later life.

Government figures show that 12 percent of Sri Lankan children between the ages of 13 and 17 were overweight in 2024, with a further 3 percent classified as obese.

Schools have been directed to promote healthier alternatives such as rice, fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, fresh milk and natural fruit juices, with the ministry also supplying recipes for nutritious meals prepared from locally sourced ingredients.

Institutions have additionally been barred from accepting sponsorships from companies that market unhealthy food products.

The ban comes even as Sri Lanka continues to grapple with malnutrition.

Estimates from UNICEF indicate that around 17 percent of children under five suffer from stunted growth, while World Bank data suggests roughly a quarter of the country’s population lived below the poverty line in 2024.