The London Metropolitan and City University of New York join forces to combat child obesity

28th January 2010, 10:24am

The London Metropolitan University and City University of New York have teamed up to launch a new report entitled 'A Tale of Two ObesCities' to support the School Food Trust's calls for local authorities to use planning guidelines to restrict children's access to fast food.

In the last 25 years, childhood obesity rates in London and New York City have more than doubled. In both London and New York City, childhood obesity rates are higher than in the United Kingdom and the United States as a whole.

In London nearly 23% of children entering school are overweight or obese - 10.9% are obese and 12% are overweight. In New York City, nearly 40% of public school children in grades K-8 are overweight or obese. Specifically, 21% of young people are obese and 18% are overweight.

Among the report's recommendations is the use of local planning powers to restrict the number of outlets selling unhealthy fast food near schools. 

Other recommendations include implementing a universal free school meal program with nutritional standards that promote health, and redefining food safety standards to reflect current threats to health and create new ways to use the municipal food safety workforce to promote healthier eating.

The School Food Trust's chief executive, Judy Hargadon, said: "The Trust has consistently supported local authorities who are already taking steps to use their planning regulations to limit children's access to takeaways near schools - it's a common sense solution.

"So we're pleased that the universities agree that this sort of guidance can have a role to play in tackling obesity in children.

"Steps like this can help schools whose healthy meals have to compete with junk food on their doorstep."

The School Food Trust has previously published a junk food temptation league table, highlighting the fact that there are on average 23 junk food outlets for every school in the UK.  While caterers have worked tirelessly to overhaul school meals, their work is undermined by the easy access to cheap junk food close by.

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