29.11.10
School food ‘vital’ in helping children stay at a healthy weight
Responding to a study published on bmj.com that children who have a high body mass index (BMI) between 9 and 12 years of age are more likely to have high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood insulin levels (all risk factors for developing heart disease) by the time they reach adolescence, the School Food Trust has emphasised the importance of school meals in helping children to maintain a healthy weight.
The School Food Trust’s Director of Research, Michael Nelson, said: “Healthy school meals are a common sense way to help children to stay at a healthy weight, keeping their energy intake at recommended levels and providing a balance of foods and nutrients. This study shows exactly why it’s vital that we keep up the hard work to increase the number of children eating school food, and to help them to eat well before they even start school.
“Lunch numbers are finally on the rise, reversing decades of decline, and research shows that the national standards for school food are working – with children on school meals eating healthier options than they were five years ago. But these figures are a reminder of the size of the task still ahead.”
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