25% of children starting school are already overweight, claims study

18th January 2010, 9:44am

Some 25% of children starting school are already overweight, reported NHS statistics by The Daily Express.

According to Kumud Gandhi, food scientist and founder of the Cooking Academy, it is crucial that children get into the habit of eating healthy from day one: "Food habits form as early as from when children are in their high chairs; it is therefore very important to get children into the habit of eating fruit and vegetables. It's as equally as important for them to know what they are eating and why; it's as fundamental as learning their alphabet or learning how to speak, as this is the age where children form their own blue print of food habits."

Gandhi added: "The government's campaign aimed at tackling the problem of child obesity is wholly inadequate. They are afraid of really picking up the gauntlet in fear that they would be accused of interfering too much. The real problem lies in the fact that the parents did not receive adequate food & nutrition education in their own youths as Home Economics and Food Technology was taken off the school curriculum in most schools by that time."

It is also important that children fully understand how the body works. Gandhi said: "Furthermore, when cookery was on the school curriculum in the 70's and 80's, the subject concentrated on teaching the mechanics of cooking rather than nutrition or the chemistry of food in relation to our body.

"Children need to understand what minerals are important to everyday bodily function and how to maintain your immune system as well as understanding the function of antioxidants in your body. All of which are the absolute basics of wellbeing. If we tackle this as at core curriculum level we can provide the skills for lifelong wellbeing and provide people with an everyday life skill. Instead we spend a significant time teaching children subjects that will never be used post the exam period."

At the end of the day it all comes down to different attitudes towards food, said Gandhi: "If parents don't know about nutrition themselves – how can they be expected to pass on good food habits to their children? We need to fundamentally change our attitude towards food information and the way in which we disseminate information from every aspect."

Related Articles:

• 03 Nov 2009 - New data suggests child obesity may be levelling off
• 21 Sep 2009 - Chartwells and Medikidz team up to fight obesity
• 28 May 2009 - Are TV adverts unhealthy for kids?

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ileana valmana

03 February 2010 at 3:48am

It is real that the main problem lies in the fact that the parents did not have adequate food & nutrition education. That's why they starts feeding toddlers with solid foods before the time required, offer daily expensive baby food,instead of natural and healthy home made purees, soup, juices,unsweetened fruitsouce,or a simple mashed sweetpotato,bannana or peach. Instead they do a lot of mistakes thinking that what they are doing is the best for their baby.

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