Schools in Flanders are increasingly surrounded by fast-food outlets and takeaway restaurants, raising concerns about unhealthy food options for students.
New statistics from the health institute Sciensano, released on Saturday to De Tijd, reveal that since 2008 the number of shops offering healthy food near secondary schools has nearly halved, while fast-food and takeaway options have surged.
Currently, over 92% of secondary schools in Flanders have at least one nearby outlet selling unhealthy food. For more than one in three schools, students can access ten or more such retailers within a ten-minute walk.
One school in Antwerp recorded a staggering 93 fast-food and takeaway establishments in its vicinity. Using data on school locations alongside a database of fast-food chains, fry shops, and takeaway businesses, Sciensano mapped out the food environment around schools for 2024. It found that nearly 60% of secondary schools in Flanders have seen an increase in unhealthy food vendors since 2008.
Health experts are raising alarms over this trend and are investigating whether health considerations could be integrated into licensing procedures, following a request from the Flemish government.
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