Fruit in schools

Citation

(2002), "Fruit in schools", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 32 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2002.01732cab.006

Fruit in schools

Fruit in schools

The Secretary of State for Health, Alan Milburn, recently announced that a further £52 million is to be spent over two years to fund initiatives to increase consumption of fruit and vegetables as part of the drive to prevent cancer and heart disease. The funding comes from the New Opportunities Fund established under the National Lottery Act of 1998. For example, £42 million will be spent to entitle every child aged four to six years with a free piece of fruit every school day from 2004. A further £10 will support the "five a day" initiative in the wider community to increase our consumption of fruit and vegetables. These local initiatives will concentrate on the most disadvantaged communities where fruit and vegetable consumption is lowest and where the incidence of cancer and heart disease are higher. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey published in July 2000 found that children on average eat only two portions of fruit and vegetables a day and their consumption has been falling since 1983. One child in five eats no fruit at all during a week and three in five eat no leafy green vegetables. Children in lower income groups are 50 per cent less likely to eat fruit and vegetables compared with those in higher income groups.