Education - not legislation - is the most effective fat-fighting measure, Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr York Chow says.

The Government has no plans to rate and evaluate the contents of lunchboxes provided to school children as it considers public education on healthy eating more effective in tackling obesity, he told lawmakers today.

The people and the environment they have close interaction with influence children's dietary habits, and healthy eating must start in the home, school and community, he added.

Legislation on lunchbox intake alone may not be an effective means to promote healthy eating, he said. To form a public education strategy, the Administration will conduct a study on students' lunchboxes' nutritional content. The study's outcome will help determine the campaign focus.

Eating habits formed early in life

He said the Administration's educational efforts also cover kindergarten students and caretakers, as eating habits are mostly formed during early years in life, and children rely heavily on adults for meal choice and preparation.

According to literature, there is a tendency for obese children to remain obese in adulthood.