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As
12 O’ Clock beckons at the weekend on our way home from
the park I know my two young children will be screaming for
Ronald McDonald. Like many parents, coerced into going to McDonalds
by hungry kids, I often feel pangs of guilt as soon as my two
are handed their Happy Meal boxes.
According to the latest figures from the Health Survey in England (1997), 31% of school aged children in England are overweight and 17% are obese. In a society where remote controls, Gameboys and Playstations dominant the waking hours of our kids, coupled with an increasing tendency to ‘graze’ on snacks and convenience foods, levels of overweight and obesity are set to double over the next 20 years. With busy and hectic lifestyles and the reality that convenience meals are here to stay, it is important for children to learn about what constitutes a healthy lifestyle i.e. choosing a balanced diet and incorporating an hour of physical activity into their everyday lives. |
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A
balanced diet means eating appropriate proportions of foods from
the four main groups most of the time, this then gives children
some leeway for the occasional ‘fast food’ meal,
after all children do need an energy and nutrient dense diet
in relation to their size because they are growing.
Taking the Happy Meal as an example, let’s look at the contents to see how this fares within the balanced meal model.
Overall,
depending on the choice of the protein part of the meal,
the Happy Meal box contains foods from at least 2 of the
main food groups i.e. bread, other cereals and potatoes and meat,
fish and alternatives.
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Choosing
either a cheeseburger or hamburger provides a higher proportion
of carbohydrates. Choosing a cheeseburger will provide some nutrients
from the milk and dairy food group. As is stands, the box is
not balanced because it fundamentally lacks foods from the fruit
and vegetable food group.
Shifting the overall balance towards a more healthy meal means firstly adding an item from the fruit and vegetable food group for example, choosing a fruit bag. An even better solution would be for McDonalds to make a fruit bag a standard item in their Happy Meals, after all the likelihood of children eating fruit would be greater if it’s part and parcel of their meal. Extending the range to include more vegetarian options would also be helpful e.g. mixed fruit and vegetable bag, vegetable nuggets, baked potato with cheese and vegetable pasta. So what about nutrients, often fast foods are referred to as junk foods meaning that they are devoid of any nutrients. Here’s the nutrient breakdown for 3 different Happy Meal boxes and their contribution as percentage of daily energy intake (government targets are given in brackets) |
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| Recently
the government’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition
(SACN) issued recommendations for daily intakes of salt (sodium)
for children of different ages. Here’s how the sodium levels compared with the government recommendations. |
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The hamburger meal contains the highest amount of sodium in comparison to the fish finger or chicken nugget meal. Whilst we can’t control the amount of sodium that is added to the protein part of the meal, parents can limit the quantity of salt that is added to French fries by asking for these without salt – that way they always have to make you a fresh batch! Food manufacturers should take greater responsibility in the provision of more balanced meals and encourage children to eat more healthily by offering a) reduced salt and reduced fat foods, b) fruit and vegetables as standard or low cost items or combo meals. As parents, we have the responsibility of teaching our children from a young age about the principles of a healthy diet and that moderation and a healthy lifestyle are keys to a happy and healthful future. |
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Summer 2003 Newsletter Page Four
Health
Education Trust
18 High Street / Broom / Alcester / Warwickshire / B50 4HJ
enquiries @HealthEdTrust.com / For
Joe Harvey: het@joeharvey.fsnet.co.uk