Parents: “Take control of your children’s diets”

PARENTS in Warrington are being sent a message by health chiefs: Be food smart and take control of your children’s diets.
This follows findings that children consume half the daily recommended sugar intake before the morning school bell rings.
Between 6 am and 10 am, children in England consume more than 11g of sugar at breakfast time alone, almost three sugar cubes.
The recommended daily maximum is no more than five cubes of sugar for 4- 6-year-olds and no more than six cubes for 7-10-year-olds per day.
By the end of the day, children consume more than three times these recommendations.
Recent reports show that childhood obesity in England has reached alarming rates. More than 23 per cent of 4-5-year-olds are overweight or obese in the North West, increasing to 35.2 per cent in 10-11-year-olds.2
Some of the main sources of sugar at breakfast time include sugary cereals, drinks and spreads.
Away from the breakfast table, children are also consuming too much sugar, saturated fat and salt in items such as confectionery, biscuits, muffins, pastries and soft drinks, which all contribute to an unhealthy diet.
Public Health England’s new Change4Life campaign urges parents to “Be Food Smart” and take more control of their children’s diets.
A new “Be Food Smart” app has been developed to highlight just how much sugar, saturated fat and salt can be found in everyday food and drink that their children consume.
The free app helps and encourages families to choose healthier options and works by scanning the barcode of products allowing parents to compare brands, and features food detective activities for children and mini missions the whole family can enjoy.
Dr Rebecca Wagstaff, deputy director, Health and Wellbeing, Public Health England North West said: “The latest child obesity figures for the North West show just how important it is for families to know what they are putting on their plates.
“That’s why we’ve developed our Be Food Smart App, taking some of the pressure off parents and helping them to choose healthier food and drink options for their children.”