NO - Tam Fry, chair, Child Growth Foundation
It's the way in which people interpret the messages that is the problem. Children should have a rounded diet.
Children need a certain amount of extra nutrition to grow. I think the messages about not eating chocolate and crisps has struck home, but there is uncertainty around the messages, because treats are not being given in moderation.
I think a treat every now and then is not a bad idea because that's part of life. Children should never be rewarded as a matter of course. It's something that's intermittent, it should be occasional.
YES - Ros Godson, professional officer, children's health, Unite
There is a considerable amount of confusion. Children essentially need to grow, so they need to eat more calories than they expend in exercise.
To grow bones and muscles you need protein, fats and vitamins as well as carbohydrate for energy. Young children need to eat small amounts from a wide variety of foods, as overall their intake is less than adults. Older children may need four meals a day.
The problem with high fat and high sugar foods such as chocolate, burgers and chips is that the calories are "empty" as they don't contribute any useful nutrients.
YES - Anne Longfield, chief executive, 4Children
Healthy eating messages are often too dumbed down but we have to start somewhere. Children's settings are an important environment in which children can establish and learn good eating habits early on.
Over-simplistic advice and sensational media reports can create confusion for both workers and parents around the simple message that children need a balanced diet.
The government is rightly taking a serious approach towards communicating healthy eating messages, particularly via its high-profile social marketing campaigns.
NO - Richard Watts, co-ordinator, Children's Food Campaign
Given the extent of the children's diet crisis in the UK it is vital that children and parents are given clear information about how they can eat healthily.
Healthy eating advice must be simple and hard hitting if people are going to notice it above the clamour of marketing for unhealthy food. Clearly some groups in society, especially the very young and the very old, do have specific nutritional requirements. But these groups tend to have regular contact with professionals and their needs are met by training those who work with them.
