Examination of PM Poshan Plan Reveals Promising Impact of UHT Milk on Enhancing Nutritional Status among Schoolchildren
A new study conducted under the PM Poshan (formerly Mid-Day Meal) scheme has demonstrated widespread acceptance of UHT (Ultra High Temperature) milk among schoolchildren in Chandigarh. The survey, which questioned 4,484 children aged 3-13 and 57 key stakeholders, including parents, school administrators, and program coordinators, found that 80% of children rated the cardamom-flavored UHT milk highly satisfactory.
Verka, the brand behind the study, claimed that the strong acceptance of UHT milk among students bolsters the argument for expanding school milk programs across India. Increasing milk distribution, raising awareness of its nutritional benefits, and incorporating complementary nutritious foods are recommended to improve overall dietary diversity.
Other key findings included 69% of children recognizing multiple health benefits of milk, with 22% primarily associating it with strong bones. Nearly half (44%) of the students consumed milk more than four times a week, while 38% had it two to four times weekly. Encouragingly, 82% of children disposed of their milk packets responsibly in designated bins, reinforcing positive environmental habits.
The study, carried out in collaboration with Punjab University, the Department of Education (Chandigarh), Tetra Pak, and NGO Yuvsatta, underscores the effectiveness of aseptic UHT milk packaging for food safety and extended shelf life without refrigeration, making it an ideal solution for large-scale school meal programs.
The school milk program piloted by Verka, which provided nutritious milk in Tetra Pak cartons to children in Chandigarh, served as an educational opportunity for students, teaching them the importance of responsible consumption and planet-friendly practices like recycling. The initiative saw used cartons collected for recycling, resulting in items such as notebooks, planters, school desks, and more.
On a global scale, the International Dairy Federation (IDF) advocates for school milk programs as a means to address nutritional deficiencies and food education, benefiting millions of children worldwide. Countries like the United States and China have successfully integrated milk into their school meal programs, significantly improving childhood nutrition and academic performance.
India has an opportunity to build upon its school feeding programs by partnering with government bodies, dairy cooperatives like Verka, and technology providers such as Tetra Pak. With the right ecosystem, the country can create a sustainable and impactful model for school nutrition, ensuring better health outcomes for future generations. The full report can be accessed on the Verka website.
- The study under the PM Poshan scheme shows that technology in packaging, UHT, is accepted widely among schoolchildren for milk distribution.
- Incorporating education about the nutritional benefits of science like milk, along with complementary food options, can improve children's dietary diversity.
- Health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise also play a role as 69% of children recognize multiple health benefits of milk, particularly strong bones.
- Nutrition knowledge, as well as skills-training in responsible consumption and recycling, can be imparted to students through programs like Verka's school milk initiative.
- The teaching of the importance of lifestyle choices like responsible milk disposal and recycling fosters personal growth and contributes to a planet-friendly culture.
- Education-and-self-development and career-development can be fostered by integrating media coverage of general-news such as successful school milk programs in countries like the United States and China.
- Learning about nutrition and health-and-wellness through programs can lead to better health outcomes for future generations, as India has the opportunity to create a sustainable and impactful school nutrition model.
- Technology providers like Tetra Pak can collaborate with government bodies and dairy cooperatives to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of school nutrition programs, which can be accessed for further reading on the Verka website.
