Around the 71 New Zealand primary schools studied, unhealthy food outlets outnumbered healthier ones by nearly four to one. Inside the school gate, the menu told a different story

What children can buy on the way to and from school is part of their food environment, but it is rarely visible in a school menu. Researchers in New Zealand mapped every food outlet within 1.6 kilometres of 71 primary schools, then compared that local landscape with what each school canteen offered. The study, published on 26 October, is a snapshot rather than a test of what children ate, but its numbers give a clear sense of the choices surrounding a school day.

The average school had 45 food outlets in that radius. Unhealthy outlets outnumbered healthier ones, 23 to 6 on average. Takeaways made up 29.8% of the outlets and convenience stores 17.6%, and 83% of schools had at least one takeaway within 1.6 kilometres. Schools in more deprived areas had a denser surrounding food environment: the study estimated a 13% increase in outlet density for each one-unit rise in its deprivation score.

The canteen menus were not a mirror image of the street outside. On average, 19.7% of listed foods were rated healthy ('green'), 35.1% occasional ('amber') and 35.5% unhealthy ('red'). The relationship between the types and density of nearby outlets and a school’s menu was weak. A school can have a carefully managed menu while pupils still pass plenty of takeaway and convenience-food options; the reverse can also be true.

The result does not prove that a nearby takeaway causes a child to eat differently, and it cannot be assumed to apply outside New Zealand. The researchers did not measure purchases, diet, body size or health, and mapping services can miss businesses or misclassify them. Still, it is a useful reminder for parents, schools and policymakers: improving school food is not only about one counter at lunchtime. Practical support for nutrition guidance and the choices around the school gate may both matter.