Healthy Lifestyles

Healthy lifestyles will cut back childhood obesity

There has been a dramatic rise in childhood obesity as children snack on a diet of unhealthy options and take less exercise. This is why Government and the regional assemblies have taken action and introduced nutritional standards in England, Scotland and Wales.

Obesity is the condition of being seriously overweight, to such an extent that it will have an affect on health now and in later life. The two reasons childhood obesity occurs are:

• Eating an unhealthy diet, often too high in sugars and fat
• Not taking enough exercise to burn off all the calories consumed.

Obesity increases the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. This is normally a disease seen in later life. More teenage children have type 2 diabetes as a consequence of being obese and this can result in low self-esteem. In the UK, around 27% of children are now overweight and many overweight children have overweight parents. It can often be the lifestyle choice of the family. This is why the Government has introduced its "Change 4 Life" campaign, of which LACA is a partner.

School caterers in England, Wales and Scotland are playing a key role in promoting healthy eating. They are delivering food that meets detailed nutritional standards and supporting whole school approaches to educate young people about healthy lifestyles. National School Meals Week is just one of the marketing tools they are using.

A school meal plays an important part in a child's school day because they:

• Recharge a child so it can enjoy the full day at school.
• Keep children alert so they make the most of afternoon lessons.
• Let children try new and different foods.
• Support school policies and whole school approaches to healthy eating.