Healthy Eating is 'Uncool', Children Reckon

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 09 Nov 2004 - 11:00 PDT

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Children who eat healthy school lunches are stereotyped as "posh" or "uncool", according to new research from UK children's charity Barnardo's.

The report, published today, found that most pupils are still eating lunches high in fat and sugar and much of this has to do with media-influenced stereotypes that surround food as they do clothes, music or interest.

Pupils presented with a picture of a healthy lunch of a sandwich, raw carrot, tomato milk and apple associated it with a "posh, sporty girl" who was a "goody-goody teacher's pet".

However, most found a photo of a burger, chips and fizzy drinks appealing and associated it with "naughty, greedy boy heroes", the survey of nursery, primary and secondary schools found.

Author Neera Sharma said: "If we are really serious about making a difference to the food children eat in schools, we have got to start listening to what they say so that we can understand the meaning food has for them."

The Government's Healthy Living Blueprint aims to offer pupils a choice of healthy food to inspire them to improve their diets, but Ms Sharma said this did not go far enough.

Barnardo's has called for more money to ensure better ingredients are served and for a ban on snack vending machines in schools.

http://www.hda-online.org.uk

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