CYP Now - NCB Now: Comment - Jamie's School Dinners provides food for thought

Jamie Oliver's inspiring work to improve school dinners has sparked huge public awareness about healthy eating and arguably has already influenced policy-makers: Labour's "mini-manifesto" for children, launched on 21 March, includes clear pledges to raise nutritional standards in schools.

Oliver highlighted the links between what we feed our children and the risk of serious health problems including obesity, heart disease and diabetes. He also showed that with determination we can improve the food served in schools and support children and young people to make healthier choices.

Yet perhaps the most powerful message raised by his work is the crucial influence food has on achievement and longer term life chances. Parents and teachers from the schools involved in Oliver's project quickly noticed changes in behaviour as a result of healthier eating. Pupils were calmer and more alert, and levels of concentration improved.

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