A high school in the Cook Islands will ban soft drinks from its tuck shop next year.
Tereora College is working with the Public Health department to meet its now 11 year old healthy food policy.
Health Promotion manager Karen Tairea said getting schools to comply with the policy is still hard to manage with sweet drinks still readily available around school grounds.
Ms Tairea said the problems that result from unhealthy decisions are severe.
"Well as we know non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure and heart disease as well as overweight and obesity are huge issues for us in the Pacific, so having these guidelines, it's things that we can sort of inform the public or the public can use so that they are making the right choices," she said.
