food for health, about us

Childhood Obesity in Scotland – New Ways Forward

Cedric de Voil discusses the topic for the Society’s Spring Conference

There is an epidemic of obesity gripping this nation and its consequences are very serious. Studies show that when obesity in childhood is associated with other risk factors there are significant cardiovascular problems for these individuals. Post mortem studies show that these problems start developing early in life. Current trends herald an explosion of cardiovascular health problems which the State will be unable to afford.

Through the Scottish Executive’s initiative “Hungry for Success”, Scotland is well ahead of the rest of the U.K. in providing healthier school meals to the standards set by the Caroline Walker Trust working on whole school/whole child approach and improving school dining facilities. However, as our former Chairman, Tom Stockdale, points out, all this good work will achieve very little unless the nation tackles the issue of reintroducing Selenium into the foods which we consume. A return to Canadian wheat would be a good starting point.

Our Spring Meeting gives the groups, such as ourselves, with an interest in the benefits to health of good nutrition, the opportunity to publicise how this exercise could be improved. Pam Rodway of the Soil Association will outline the “Food for Life” programme which seeks to have Organic food at least 30% by weight, 50% of all ingredients being produced locally and at least 75% of all foods eaten to be produced from unprocessed ingredients.

Also better food education in schools needs to be addressed. The way that material is presented to pupils by staff as well as its appearance has a strong influence on how well the programme on healthier eating and cooking skills are accepted. Children who have grown a product are more likely to accept the cooked end product. Unless this is addressed they are likely to continue to bring in unhealthy packed lunches full of crisps, carbonated drinks and sweeties.

This came home to me the other day when I read the food writer, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in this month’s Observer Food Magazine. He was describing one of the biggest challenges he has had to face – producing a packed food box for his son starting school. His son’s school does not supply dining facilities. The balance of producing something that his son would eat without including fizzy drinks and crisps while retaining the occasional chocolate treat made for an interesting read. Unfortunately I have read elsewhere that children who bring healthy lunch boxes to school are subjected to bullying by the majority and this results in hardly any salad boxes being brought to school. This means that the whole ethos within the school has to change.