Health officials have recently reported that children aged five are eating and drinking their own body weight in sugar each year, and are consuming three times the recommended maximum daily intake of 19g of sugar a day, or five cubes.
Obesity costs the NHS £5.1 billion per year, which is expected to rise to £9.7 billion by 2050. Aside from the health implications (including diabetes, heart disease and tooth decay) obese children can also suffer from low self-esteem, and are more likely to be bullied—the psychological effects of both can carry on into adulthood.
It’s not just the obvious culprits that contain mass amounts of sugar, but many seemingly ‘healthy’ foods and drinks contain excessive amounts of sugar (such as fruit juices) and this can be difficult for parents to monitor.
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A new campaign by Public Health England (PHE) has been launched to help parents see how much sugar there is in everyday food and drink, allowing them to make informed choices on what to cut down on. The free ‘Change4Life’ app scans the barcode of the product and reveals the amount of total sugar contained in cubes and grams. The NHS approved ‘Change4Life’ campaign also focuses on healthy eating tips for the family and information on local activities. For more information, visit: Nhs.uk/change4life
Children will learn from example, so it’s important for parents to be educated on healthy eating so children can pick up good habits. A good way to educate children about eating healthily is to get them involved with cooking. This will not only help parents monitor what their children eat, but also can create a sense of accomplishment for the child.
Pizza Pitta Faces
Serves: 4
Time: 10 mins
Ingredients
4 wholemeal pitta breads
4 tsp tomato puree
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
8 thin cucumber slices
6 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 yellow or red pepper, deseeded and sliced crossways
40g reduced-fat cheese, grated
Method
Preheat your grill. Spread 1 tsp of tomato puree over one side of each pitta bread, then sprinkle with the mixed herbs. Arrange the cucumber and halved tomatoes on the pittas (for the eyes), halved tomatoes for the nose, slice pepper for eyebrows and mouths and grated cheese for hair or beards. Place on the grill rack, grill for 4-5 minutes, cool for a few moments then serve.
Piri-piri pomegranate popcorn
Serves: 6
Time: 10 mins
Ingredients
2 tsp. vegetable oil
160g popping corn
1 tsp. piri-piri seasoning
100g ready prepared fresh pomegranate seeds
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-based saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Add the popping corn, put the lid on and shake the pan to coat the kernels in oil. Put the pan over a medium-high heat, and when the kernels begin to pop, carefully shake the pan. When the popping subsides, remove from heat. Cool for 10 minutes, then add piri-piri seasoning, pomegranate seeds and black pepper, stirring them through.
Blueberry and banana smoothie
Serves: 6
Time: 5 mins
Ingredients
150g blueberries (fresh or frozen)
2 ripe bananas
800ml semi-skimmed milk
Method
Slice bananas and place them in a blender along with blueberries. Add the milk. Whizz together for 30 seconds (or until smooth and blended), and then pour into 6 glasses. Serve immediately.
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