16 July 2004
Britain's ever-expanding child obesity problems are not being helped by inconsistent teaching on food and nutrition for the very young, a report by watchdogs claimed this week.
Starting early – food and nutrition education of young people, published by Ofsted and the Food Standards Agency, found that nurseries were much better at promoting healthier meals than primary schools.
Inspectors had visited 25 nurseries and schools to see if they were giving 'effective' education to pupils to help them eat more healthily.
'Food fads and foibles are developed at an early age so it is important that we help encourage and educate children about healthy eating habits at the earliest stage possible,' said David Bell, the chief inspector of schools.
Inspectors found one nursery that encouraged its pupils to prepare and serve fruit to each other every day. However, in primary schools they found there was 'rarely' a programme that helped build 'children's knowledge and understanding of healthy eating'.
Obesity is a growing problem among Britain's young. Official statistics show that a third of children aged under 15 are obese or overweight, with a sixth classified as obese.
The report said it wanted to halt the growth in obesity in under-11s by 2010. 'Every school should be a healthy school, giving good teaching and advice about nutrition and exercise, backed up by its school lunches, by its PE and school sport and... playground activities'.
But the Association for the Study of Obesity said action beyond schools was needed. Beating the overweight epidemic also relied on the help of parents, peer group pressure and advertising.
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