The Health Education Trust

Browse here for issues relating to food as it affects our children’s health, from childhood through to old age. We aim to put new and existing research into perspective and most important of all, keep a common sense view on how science should or should not influence what we eat and what we feed our children. Above all food should be enjoyed and so a healthy diet must remain pleasurable and easy to achieve. These pages include useful information to help guide healthy and enjoyable food choices!

The state of our children’s diet

It would be difficult not to be aware that our children’s diets are a serious cause for concern, given the recent publicity through the media. There have been a number of reports highlighting the unhealthy state of children’s diets and the media can be congratulated for taking the issue seriously and helping to raise awareness across the nation. National surveys have highlighted the problem of children’s food and exercise patterns.

Food plays an important role in health throughout the life cycle, starting in the foetus where nutrients are required in specific amounts to ensure the correct development of all organs and linear growth; throughout childhood where maximum growth is achieved; and into adulthood where weight maintenance is important along with a balanced diet to prevent/prolong the initiation of disease.

We have known for some time that the increasing rates of obesity over the last 30 years are more closely related to TV viewing figures (hours/week) and the number of cars per household, than to how much we eat. It has now become a high profile media issue, with the slimming industry experiencing major growth. The fact is our energy and fat intake has reduced, however energy expenditure has reduced by even more – hence a net increase in weight over time, (Prentice & Jebb, 1995).

Even more disturbing is the revelation that type II diabetes is now occurring in children as young as 13. Type II diabetesis increasingly common in overweight older adults, who are at significantly increased risk of developing the disease, although until now, it has been rare in children. If current obesity trends continue, type II diabetes is likely to affect more children, who consequently will be more susceptible to premature cardiovascular disease.

For many years now it has been recognised that physical activity has a beneficial role to play in protecting our health, particularly from heart disease and even some cancers. It is only recently however that the full effects of physical activity and it’s relationship to our health, particularly in old age have been studied to any great degree. This is significant since as a society we have become more sedentary (less active) than ever before, with modern technology doing increasing amounts of work that previously ensured we flexed our muscles and used up calories through the movements required to do the jobs directly ourselves!- yes, unfortunately washing dishes whilst standing at the sink does our health far more good than watching TV after loading the dishwasher!!

Whenever food and health issues are being addressed, physical activity should be given at least equal consideration.

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Food has many roles including pleasure, satisfaction (feelings of fullness), sharing and giving, social interaction, and of course nutritional well being, growth, development and reproduction. A poor diet, be it too little, too much or the wrong balance of food, can increase our risks of many diseases and illnesses that can become debilitating and life-threatening.