Berhampur: Schoolchildren will not find any fast food outlet near their educational institutes in Ganjam.

District collector Vijay Amrit Kulange decided to keep away all such outlets situated near the school premises.

"The students and their parents must be well aware of the bad impacts of the fast food and avoid the habit," said Kulange while addressing the consultative committee of the school security at Chhatrapur on Friday.

"It's a welcome step. The schools also welcomed the idea of banning junk food and carbonated drinks in and around school premises and advocated only the sale of healthy foods," said additional district education officer Binita Senapati.

"High consumption of fast food has been reported in schoolchildren, and this is quite substantial in college and university students in spite of the fact that a significant proportion of populations are aware about adverse consequences of fast food consumption," said assistant professor (surgery) of MKCG Medical College and Hospital Dr Tapas Rout.

"Consumption of fast food, which is high in sugar, saturated fat, salt and calorie content, can lead to early development of obesity, hypertension and impaired glucose tolerance. Panipuri or gup chups, which are widely consumed by children, are not healthy as they are prepared in stored oil. Pakoda increases bad cholesterol and decreases good cholesterol and makes one obese. Samosa has 25gm of fat, the same as that of a large slab of butter. Transfats known as vanaspati are used extensively by makers of snacks," he said.

On the other hand, Jahnabi Samal, a mother of a girl student, said she was still confused as there was no official definition of junk food. "What food should I provide to my children? The guidelines can only clear the confusion and define what food is healthy and what is not," she said.