A survey released on Monday showed that 25 percent of Taiwanese children and teenagers do not eat well, possibly due to a lack of food education.
The survey of 1,577 elementary and junior-high school students was conducted by the Child Welfare League Foundation from Dec. 18 last year to Jan. 8.
It showed that 25.2 percent of respondents on a weekly basis eat foods that are unsuitable for long-term consumption by children.
While 68 percent drink sugary beverages at least once a week, 58.4 percent eat packaged snacks, such as crackers and cookies, at least once a week, the poll showed.
In addition, 43.5 percent eat pastries, such as doughnuts, at least once a week, and 34.6 percent eat sausages or hot dogs at least once a week.
The survey also found that 35 percent of respondents could not identify some of the most common vegetables, 40.5 percent could not differentiate processed foods from natural foods, 66.6 percent were misled by food labels and 53.6 percent could not understand food composition information.
The results showed that 66.1 percent of parents seldom or never shop for groceries with their children, 47.7 percent seldom or never discuss the nutritional value of food with their kids and 44.1 percent do not remind their children to pay attention to ingredients and nutrition information on food packaging.
After a cross-comparison, the survey found that children and teenagers lacking food education are more likely to develop unhealthy eating habits and mistaken notions about foods than those with proper food education.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19