Public health experts today launch a bid to change the way children snack – in a move that would see the end of ice-creams and packets of crisps.
The Public Health England campaign wants parents to restrict their children to two snacks of no more than 100 calories a day.
The organisation blames excessive snacking for the high sugar intake and growing obesity rates among modern children. It says that children consume the equivalent of seven sugar cubes a day from unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks.
This is about half their sugar intake, leading to children consuming three times more than recommended levels of sugar.
Examples of 100-calorie snacks include home-made popcorn, beans on toast and a cheese and tomato toastie.
Public Health England says that the average child will consume annually 400 biscuits, 120 cakes and buns, 100 portions of sweets, 70 ice-creams and 70 chocolate bars together with more than 150 sweetened drinks.
The organisation is now offering parents a phone app to allow them to scan items in the shop to identify their nutritional content.
The organisation’s chief nutritionist Dr Alison Tedstone said: “The true extent of children’s snacking habits is greater than the odd biscuit or chocolate bar. Children are having unhealthy snacks throughout the day and parents have told us they’re concerned.
“To make it easier for busy families, we’ve developed a simple rule of thumb to help them move towards healthier snacking – look for 100 calories snacks, two a day max.”
The campaign was backed by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
But Professor Russell Viner, from the college, added: “Whilst reducing the number of snacks a child consumes and the calorie content will be hugely beneficial, this alone will not curb our crisis. We need the Government to show it is serious about tackling obesity by urgently updating and expanding the Childhood Obesity Plan.
“We also need to create healthier environments by preventing new fast food restaurants opening within close proximity to schools and colleges – we cannot expect children to make healthier food choices when there are tempting cheap treats lurking close to school.”
There was also backing from Professor Graham MacGregor, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary, University of London, UK.
Professor MacGregor, chairman of Action for Sugar, added: "The findings about children’s daily sugar intake are shocking and need to be a stark reminder to the government that we urgently need a revised and robust childhood obesity strategy to help tackle the country’s escalating obesity and Type 2 diabetes epidemic – not to mention the cost of treating tooth decay.
“Whilst parents do have a responsibility to take control of their children’s snacking, so do food and drink manufacturers and the government.”
Leave a Reply