Policy into practice - Healthy eating

3 February 2009 1 min read Anne Longfield Health

A healthy and nutritious diet is an important factor in leading a healthy lifestyle and can prevent obesity and disease in later life. But many children and young people do not always have the information to make decisions about what they eat as parents and schools often determine their meals.

Studies show a link between low socio-economic backgrounds and poor dietary health. The introduction of nutritional standards for school meals is a welcome initiative. Government pilots to extend free school meals will help test out the impact of more children being able to enjoy the benefits of healthy eating during the school day.

We must get behind these initiatives to help break down health inequalities and poor eating habits and lay the foundations for young people to live healthy and happy lives.

CASE STUDY 1

The Mend (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition ... Do it!) programme is an all-round fun course for the family to get fit and healthy.

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