Children’s diets: where are we going?

Dr Carrie Ruxton

Principal Nutrition Consultant

What we know about children’s diets in the UK

Most children not meeting diet targets

Added sugars 86%

Total fat 58%

Saturated fat 92%

Salt 72%

Fibre 85%

Fruit & vegetables 96%

National Diet & Nutrition Survey (2000)

Energy sources skewed

National Diet and Nutrition Survey n=837, 4-10 years

02

4

6

8

10

1214

16

18

20

Bread Cereal Milk Chips Crisps Drinks Meat Sweets

Key nutrients as % recommended intakes

0

50

100

150

200

250

Boys Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls

4-6 yrs 7-10 yrs 11-14 yrs

% r

ecom

mended VitA

Folate

VitC

Iron

Calcium

Av. vitamins & minerals OK

Some children have low intakes

0

5

10

15

20

25

% c

hil

dre

n b

elo

w L

RN

I

4-6 y 7-10 y 11-14 y

Vit A

Vit B2

Folate

Iron

Calcium

National Diet & Nutrition Survey (2000)

Many school lunches not meeting nutrient targets

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

%

Fat Sugar Fibre Vit A Vit C Folate Calcium Iron

Source: Nelson et al (2005)

UK children getting fatter

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

19951996

19971998

1999/00

20012002

% c

hil

dre

n

Obese OverweightEnglish girls 6-10y

Government response

Food Standards Agency ideas

• Signposting – labelling that shows at a glance whether foods healthy or not

• Controls on food advertising to children• Action to reduce salt in products by setting

targets for industry• Regulations for school meal caterers• Regulations for schools e.g. vending,

tuckshops• Guidance for parents for pack lunches

Signposting

• Labelling initiative• FSA wants

consumers to choose more green foods and reduce red foods

• Voluntary scheme• Traffic light system

tested on consumers

Implications for industry

• FSA wants signposting on ready meals, breakfast cereals, coated poultry & fish, meat products, pizzas, sandwiches

• All spreads classified as RED even if ‘low fat’. Low sugar jams still RED.

• Target for ‘total sugar’ not added sugar and cut-off lower than expected

• Naming and shaming?

Advertising curbs• FSA wants OfCom to ban adverts of ‘less

healthy’ foods to children• FSA-funded research showed children desire

foods when exposed to advertising• Industry claims that children respond to

category advertising but don’t increase overall intakes

• OfCom put ideas out to consultation, including partial and full bans

• Response and decision awaited

Nutrient profiling

• Formula:‘A’ points for energy, saturated fat, added sugar, salt

MINUS‘C’ points for fruit, veg, nuts, protein, fibre

• Food classified as ‘less healthy’ if final score >=4

• Beverage classified as ‘less healthy’ if final score >=1

Implications for industry

• Advertising curbs will most affect confectionery, breakfast cereals, soft drinks and fast foods

• FSA recommended that all forms of marketing addressed e.g. texts, websites, promotions

• Opportunity for companies with healthier product ranges

Other policies influencing children’s food

School Fruit & Vegetable Scheme

• 4-6 year olds

• 1 piece of fruit or veg per day in term-time

• Evaluation showed no long-term benefits

• Now being re-evaluated

Fruit & veg evaluation

Baseline Phase 1 Phase 2

Fruit 1.65 1.99 1.65

Fruit juice 0.57 0.63 0.56

Vegetables 1.53 1.57 1.62

Fruit & veg 3.56 3.98 3.67Snacks/desserts 3.4 3.3 3.1

F&V at home 1.98 1.82 1.73

F&V at school 0.94 1.53 1.31

*

*

*

*

*

* Statistically different from baseline

England, Wales, Northern Ireland

• School Food Trust to provide leadership• Ongoing revision of school lunch standards

including pack lunch targets• Ofsted to monitor quality of meals• Training for school caterers• Free fruit & vegetable scheme• Tuck shop and vending policies• Guidelines on packed lunches for parents

Scotland

Hungry for Success Active Schools

Scottish Diet Action Plan

Physical activitystrategy

Republic of Ireland

• Voluntary food & nutrition guidelines for primary schools introduced 2003

• Emphasis on health promotion and the Food Pyramid

• Few Irish children take school lunches

• Fruit and veg promotion via Food Dudes

Conclusions

• Children’s diets need improving but they are not as bad as the media make out

• Plenty of new Govt initiatives aimed at restricting and re-directing children’s food choices

• Threats and opportunities for industry