Editorial

Citation

Blades, M. (2005), "Editorial", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 35 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2005.01735faa.001

Editorial

Children's food, especially school lunches, but also what foods and drinks are advertised to them has received a great deal of attention of late.

What children eat and drink has not just a massive effect on their health in the long term but also on their feeling of well-being and ability to learn on a daily basis not to mention their behaviour! Many parents quote that their children become out of control after a binge on sweets, highly coloured and sugary items.

At the recent annual conference of the local authority caterers association (LACA) entitled "Policy not Platitudes" there was a great focus on not just providing nutritionally balanced meals with presentations, discussions and workshops but actually getting the children to eat them. Also there were presentations on how good nutrition actually helps pupils to learn and also moderate their behaviour.

There were presentations on implementing initiatives to encourage youngsters to eat a more balanced diet.

It was fascinating to hear that in one education authority the local council had implemented free school meals for all children in an effort to improve the diet of the children. Yet despite these efforts for free and nutritionally well balanced meals, with information and publicity about the initiative, only 60 per cent of the children took up the free meal.

It seems incredible that people behave in such a way as regards their children's diet in the UK, where free meals are shunned, when parents from other parts of the world in developing countries would be delighted to receive such initiatives.

More information on LACA can be obtained from their web site: www.laca.co.uk

Mabel Blades