Department of Health

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Why Food in Schools?

  • Last modified date:
    8 February 2007

The health of our nation's children is a key priority for all of us. But there is mounting evidence that poorly balanced diets and an inactive lifestyle could jeopardise the chances for our children to live long, full and active lives. Diet is central to health, and children's diet can be an important influence on their health now and in the future. We know that a good diet in childhood can help protect them against chronic diseases in later life. However, children's diets are too high in fat, salt and sugar, and too low in fruit and vegetables:

  • Most children in the UK eat too much fat, particularly saturated fat, added sugars and salt. Average salt intakes are up to 50% higher than recommended and only around 15% of all children meet the recommendations for added sugars, around 8% meet the recommendations for saturated fat and around 42% meet the recommendations for total fat (National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS), 2000)
  • Children on average eat only around 2 of the recommended 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day and children from the lowest social group tend to eat 50% less fruit and vegetables than those from the highest social group (NDNS, 2000).
  • Consumption of carbonated soft drinks (diet and non-diet) in 4-18 year olds is equivalent to around 5 cans for boys and 4 cans for girls per week. (NDNS, 2000).

As children spend on average a quarter of their waking lives in school, one big step to improve the nutrition of children is to offer and promote healthy food and drink choices throughout the school day.  The school environment, attitudes of staff and pupils, as well as what children learn in the classroom, have a major influence on their knowledge and understanding of health.  If encouraged to enjoy healthy food and drink early on, it is much more likely that these positive behaviours will remain with a child throughout life.

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