The study by East Sussex Trading Standards found nurseries tended to incorrectly apply the requirements of healthy eating for schoolchildren and adults to one to four-year-olds. As a result, services were providing them with food that was too low in calories and fat.
Only one in five of the nurseries surveyed gave children sufficiently large portion sizes and just three out of 10 provided them with enough calories. The report's authors said there was a lack of regulation and information about nutritional eating for under-fives.
Sarah Almond, a consultant specialist paediatric dietician involved in compiling the report, said many nurseries had gone too far in banning certain foods such as chocolate or cake, since they hold some nutritional value for this age group, who have a higher need for calories and fat.
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