UPF, poverty, obesity.... children’s healthy eating - an impossible challenge?

I agree, tbh. When people claim they see all these DC off to school eating sweets for breakfast - it does seem a bit odd. I've never once stood at my window watching school children going past looking at what they are or are not eating (having also been spying in to their kitchens to check they hadn't already had a nutritious breakfast of course!) I think perhaps some people exaggerate. The whole thing of everyone brings a snack to the school gates - I never have and I rarely saw her friends eating a snack either (unless the birthday sweets!) I mean yes, I'm not saying I never saw a DC being given a snack but it was far from universal.

So many people seem to love berating others, snooping on their neighbours and tracking what they eat for breakfast, and piously judging their every move from their personal pedestal.

Pretty sure none of that will solve the health crisis.

Tesco has always been particularly cynical.

The only thing Tesco - and most supermarkets- care about is profit. Processed foods have higher profit margins and are less perishable than fresh items, added to which sugar is addictive,of course they are going to push them.

Reduced sugar yoghurts etc. for DCs are to try and pretend that they actually care about nutrition. If you want a healthy yoghurt, buy greek plain and add your own ingredients ( I didn't when DS was young,I confess but I do now).

Pretty hard for a DC to get good nutrition from school lunches and the food bank.

As you walk into my local Tesco Extra, the main aisle as you walk in has massive baskets full of junk foods. This week are Fox Chocolate cookies, Bahlsen chocolate biscuits, Big bags of crisps, Lindt chocolates, and more. All on Clubcard promotional pricing.

I realise they do this because they’re impulse buy items but it seems very manipulative and cynical in an obesity crisis.

I imagine the government will ban this kind of merchandising at some point, but I’m surprised that Tesco, with all their focus on cutting out all added sugar from kids food like yoghurts, are not proactively reducing this prominent, in your face style merchandising and showcasing of junk food.

Sorry, but I call bullshit.

I live in a deprived area and I don't know a single person who regularly eats takeaways more than once a week.

A family friend owns a takeaway and he, and others who he speaks to who run takeaways are struggling massively with rising costs and low sales. People are not using Just Eat instead of cooking, they simply cannot afford to.

Loretta Minghella gave a lecture at Keele World Affairs, you can check it out from the archives, where she stated no one is below the poverty line in the UK.

Add to that, my sister has a sandwich shop and has signed up to Just Eat. Her most notorious order was for two slices of toast . . . 6 doors away.

So no bullshit, I disagree with you @frequency, it’s too easy to dial a delivery, far more time consuming and difficult to cook.

Sorry, but I call bullshit.

I live in a deprived area and I don't know a single person who regularly eats takeaways more than once a week.

A family friend owns a takeaway and he, and others who he speaks to who run takeaways are struggling massively with rising costs and low sales. People are not using Just Eat instead of cooking, they simply cannot afford to.

Spot on.

At a lecture given by the head of Christian Aid (Loretta Minghella) she emphasized that no family is below the poverty line in UK. The need and desire to cook from scratch has been eradicated by Just Eat et al and a lack of motivation, despite the hundreds of hours of cooking channel in MSM & Social media. Nutrition is not seen as important until it’s too late.

Out of interest when did you grow up?

We always had elevenses and tea between meals but the bread and butter wasn't homemade although the jam was! This was in the 80s.

When I was younger, all home cooked meals, not huge portions and a treat was Sunday roast and home baked dessert, also only takeaway fish n chips very occasionally or extre Chinese leftovers. Mum walked us everywhere, to school, visit friends, as teens we walked or cycled everywhere.

Now, guilty of the same, going out to parks, the beach etc usually involves some sort of fast food and we drive DC to school (primary).

So much has changed, especially food delivery. We do this maybe every other month, friends do it weekly, some several times a week!

There also seems to be an obsession about kids being full and feeding them far too much. They're always hungry! Xx

Yes, food banks are a massive issue. How do we expect our poorest youngsters to be thriving on our awful school lunches and then tins and packets at home with little fresh food?

The problem for some comes when they're a teenager if you've never given them a chance to develop self regulation. Many of DS's friends don't seem to have much control! One of his friend's mum gives her no money now as she just spends it on rubbish. But once she gets a job she'll be able to buy all the rubbish she likes! Hopefully she will be able to learn self regulation pretty quickly herself but personally I'm glad mine learnt much younger. Like you I allowed them to not be restricted outside of the house so they learnt.

I think that's quite well known now, isn't it?

Parenting seems too passive in many cases... They don't want to upset or challenge their poor poppet and give in far too soon on subjects like nutrition, screens, uniform, respectful behaviour etc.

Agree with not having a total ban but I am shocked at the number of posters who claim allowing free access to everything and children to ‘self-regulate’ is the answer. My children would not be able to resist the temptation of sugar laden foods over natural foods if all were freely available as they are too young. The desire for the ultra palatable stuff will always win so we don’t keep it in the house. When at parties, they are not restricted and same goes for holidays

Time poor people can still make good decisions.
The amount of food banks in uk is horrific.
But to get good bread in uk is difficult in some areas. The bread sold in my mums local bakery isn’t great either. I work in Belgium and the long life bread here is niche. Babies are given veg and nutrition is a topic at school. I think though all European countries are struggling at some level.

The only surprise to me is that any of this isnt already common knowledge.
The politicians should be campaigning on how to make the food supply chain healthy AND affordable.

Right there That would take a load off the NHS and school behaviour issues…

You probably wouldn’t even have to get off tiktok tbh, plenty of cooking videos on there too!
I agree with you though - there is so much information out there, so many recipes and step-by-step tutorials.

Not an impossible challenge at all. It is a challenge that needs to be challenged at multiple levels. Parents need help with budgeting, cooking healthy meals and getting kids active. They also need robust conversations when their children are obese. I’m not talking a little puppy fat as that is often normal in growing stages. But professionals need to start having conversation with parents that are focused on facts and not the parents huer feelings. Parents are creating lifelong health issues for the children and it’s just not fair

Agree. I actually know several people where that kind of attitude totally backfired.
I think a balanced and more relaxed approach to food is more beneficial.
Fwiw, our kids also really like vegetables, even though we never forced them to eat them.
We just always offered veg/ salad with meals, that worked well for us.
Also, the total ban on sweets - why?

Only it's simply not true!

Parents are more influential than they realise especially when the children are tiny
lots of cheap fruit and veg around .. a pressure cooker is a god send for me lately .. healthy curries etc .. electric pressure cooker is my go to .. food banks my bottom .. obesity is part of the massive issue for the NHS.

@User8746422 the unpalatable truth is that formula milk is linked to obesity and diabetes in adulthood and is full of rubbish but you are a horrible person if you ever dare to mention this