Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to raise awareness of the impact of poor nutrition on children.

The government is committed to raising the healthiest generation ever.

It is important that children eat nutritious food at school and the department encourages schools to have a whole school approach to healthy eating. The School Food Standards regulate the food and drink provided at lunchtime and at other times of the school day. They aim to ensure that the right foods are available for children every day. School governors have a responsibility to ensure compliance and should appropriately challenge the headteacher and the senior leadership team to ensure the school is meeting its obligations. Schools may use the School Food Standards as a guide when writing their packed lunch policies.

To support governors, the department, along with the National Governance Association, are running a pilot online training course on school food for governors and trustees. By increasing understanding of the Standards, we hope that ultimately school children will have increased access to healthier, more nutritious food, the pilot will be evaluated to embed learning.

All schools are required to follow a broad and balanced curriculum, as exemplified by the national curriculum. The national curriculum sets the expectation that pupils are taught about the importance of healthy eating and nutrition. Healthy eating and opportunities to develop pupils’ cooking skills are covered in the design and technology curriculum in key stages 1 to 3.

The importance of healthy eating is also included in the science curriculum for both primary and secondary schools. Healthy eating is covered through topics relating to nutrition and digestion, which cover the content of a healthy diet and the impact of diet on how the body functions.

The principles of a healthy and varied diet are also covered in health education, which emphasises empowering young people to make choices and adopt lifestyles that will increase their chance of living happy and healthy lives, supporting the agenda on tackling obesity. Pupils should be taught how to maintain healthy eating and the links between a poor diet and health risks, including tooth decay and cancer.

More broadly, the government has already taken action to restrict ‘junk’ food advertising to children, uprated the sugary drinks industry levy and announced stronger local authority powers to block new fast-food outlets near schools. Action to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children is also underway.