UK Government must act to improve school meals warns The Soil Association

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 13 Jul 2004 - 15:00 PDT

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A report issued today by Ofsted (Office for Standards in Education) found "serious concerns about the type of food offered to children" following a survey of 25 nurseries and infant and primary schools. Another report, published by the Department for Education and Skills, found that in secondary schools only six percent of pupils choose a vegetable or salad option at lunch time.

One in five secondary schools are failing to meet even the current, inadequate nutritional guidelines for schools every lunchtime, and nine percent fail to provide vegetables or fruit most days.

Peter Melchett, policy director of the Soil Association, the main charity working for organic and local food, said:

"The reports' findings mean that the Government is being two-faced: preaching about healthy diets while allowing schools to serve unhealthy meals to children in their care. No wonder kids aren't listening.

"The Government has known for years that children are eating too much fat, salt and sugar at school. Much of the food eaten by children at school is still processed muck, because the money to buy decent food is not there. The problem won't be solved until the Government stops consulting and starts acting. More money must be put into school meals, and proper nutritional standards applied in all schools.

"With no encouragement from the Department of Education, a handful of schools and one Local Education Authority (South Gloucestershire) have taken their own action to serve freshly prepared, tasty meals using local and organic ingredients. Uptake of meals in these schools has often doubled, and there is little additional cost to parents.

"The Soil Association is working with schools and local authorities around the country, linking schools with local farmers, running healthy eating workshops and providing advice about how to offer healthier meals. This is work that the Government should be supporting. "

Many of the problems highlighted were raised in the Soil Association's report Food For Life, published in October 2003. The Soil Association welcomes that Ofsted's report has highlighted the need for "coherent and consistent messages about food and nutrition" for example in the food that was served to children".

Ofsted acknowledged that "in many of the schools surveyed, nutritional standards were not being implemented effectively". The report also said, "catering staff in schools need up-to-date factual information, support and training to enable them through the food they provide to reflect and convey healthy eating messages and to put them into practice".

THE SOIL ASSOCIATION'S CASE FOR PROPER NUTRITIONAL STANDARDS

Currently, targets for the amount of vitamins and minerals that should be provided through meals are not set, nor is there a limit to the grams of fat, salt and sugar that can be consumed: children can be served 100g of raw beefburger containing 20.5g of fat and 600mg of salt while the same weight of raw lean beef contains 4.6g of fat and 61mg of salt.

The Soil Association recommends that nutritional standards should be based on the Department of Health's daily nutritional recommendations for children and should implement guidelines set by the Caroline Walker Trust (a charity providing nutritional advice). These guidelines state the amount (percentage and weight) of nutrients needed including energy, fat, carbohydrate, fibre, protein, iron, calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folate and sodium. The new Scottish Nutrient Standards for School Lunches are based on the Caroline Walker Trust recommendations. As a result, school meals would provide 40 per cent of daily requirements in respect of positive elements in the diet (including two fresh vegetable portions), and no more than 30 per cent of daily requirements in respect of negative elements (including salt).

EVIDENCE ABOUT SCHOOL MEAL QUALITY AND CHILDREN'S NUTRITION

• WALES' FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY

Monitoring was undertaken for the Wales' Food Standards Agency by Beaufort Research in 2002. In total 6,142 pupils in 16 primary schools were observed over 77 school days. Fruit was unavailable 13 per cent of the time and only nine per cent of children ate fruit. Vegetables were unavailable one fifth of the time. Less than a third of children ate separate portions of vegetables and only five per cent ate salad. Chips were served one day in three. More sugary drinks were consumed than fruit juice and water combined.

• CONSUMERS' ASSOCIATION

Similar results were found by the Consumers' Association. Children in England and Wales were asked to keep two-day food diaries during one week in October 2002. Foods most typically eaten by primary school children were coated chicken, turkey or fish shapes; pizza; chips; potato waffles or other processed potato shapes; baked beans; cakes; biscuits and ice cream. Intakes of red meat were below recommended levels. Only half of the children had a vegetable with their lunch and within this, baked beans were the most popular choice. While many chose vegetables, far fewer were observed to eat them from their plates. Only 10 per cent had a fruit-based dessert. Milk was served with less than a third of lunches.

• NORTH SOMERSET

Monitoring work has been undertaken by Julian Feltwell, principal trading standards officer for North Somerset council since 2001. In June 2003, during one week of monitoring at a secondary school with 900 pupils the team recorded just one banana, two apples and around eight portions of vegetables going by the till point.

http://www.soilassociation.org

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