New campaign launched to help parents improve children's diet
The government's New Better Health campaign, including a new NHS Food Scanner App, launches today to help parents improve their children's diet.
- New Better Health campaign launches today to help families eat better, with new NHS Food Scanner App feature offering healthier alternatives
- Former 鈥楪irls Aloud鈥� member Nadine Coyle, dietician Dr Linia Patel and a Netmums family test the app in a new film supporting the campaign
- 60% of parents say they are giving their children more sugary or fatty snacks than before the pandemic
Families will be given support to help to improve the diets of their children through a new campaign as the new statistics reveal the number of parents giving unhealthy snacks to their children has increased during the pandemic.
The multimedia Better Health campaign has been launched today (Monday 10 January) to encourage families to eat better and includes a new 鈥榮can, swipe and swap鈥� feature for the NHS Food Scanner App, which provides a simple solution to help families maintain a healthier diet.
The campaign follows a record rise in obesity among children since the start of the pandemic, with ; this rises to 4 in 10 (40.9%) in Year 6 (ages 10 to 11). .
A showed that nearly 6 in 10 (58%) parents give their children more sugary or fatty snacks than before the pandemic and nearly two-thirds (64%) of parents said they often worry about how healthy their children鈥檚 snacks really are. Nearly 90% of parents said they would benefit from an app which would help them make healthier choices for their children.
Families can scan the product barcodes from their shop and the app will suggest healthier alternatives to help them make an easy swap next time they shop. The app uses a 鈥楪ood Choice鈥� badge to help signpost people to healthier food and drinks in line with the government鈥檚 dietary recommendations for added sugar, saturated fat and salt.
Public Health Minister, Maggie Throup, said:
We know that families have felt a lot of pressure throughout the pandemic which has drastically changed habits and routines.
The new year is a good time for making resolutions, not just for ourselves, but for our families. Finding ways to improve their health is one of the best resolutions any of us could make.
By downloading the free NHS Food Scanner App, families can swap out foods from the weekly shop for healthier alternatives and avoid items high in salt, sugar and saturated fat.
Dr Alison Tedstone, Chief Nutritionist at the Department of Health and Social Care, said:
We are all aware of the increased pressures families have been under throughout the pandemic with children being stuck at home more. With advertising promoting unhealthy foods to kids, it鈥檚 not surprising that parents say they鈥檝e often found it hard to resist pestering from their children for more unhealthy snacks, and that is why the NHS Food Scanner App is a great tool to help families make quick and easy healthier swaps.
It鈥檚 so important that children reduce the amount of sugary, fatty and salty foods they eat to help them stay healthy and reduce the risk of health problems such as diabetes and tooth decay.
鈥楪irls Aloud鈥� member Nadine Coyle and dietician Dr Linia Patel met with a family to talk about eating habits and to trial the NHS Food Scanner App for themselves, and .
Nadine Coyle said:
As a busy working mum, I find it hard to say no to my kid鈥檚 demands and often give in to 鈥榮nack鈥� pressure 鈥� even though I know it鈥檚 not that good for them. I had no idea some foods were so high in sugar, saturated fat and salt 鈥� so it鈥檚 great that the app gives you alternatives.
I love using the NHS Food Scanner App and so does my daughter; she likes choosing the healthier swaps which is great 鈥� we are already making small changes through good food choices.
Dr Linia Patel, dietician, said:
We know that parents find it really hard to find healthier snacks for their kids, especially if they鈥檙e fussy eaters.
The NHS Food Scanner App is a fun way to get the kids involved in choosing healthier foods that they鈥檒l love 鈥� so get going and scan, swipe, swap!
Annie O鈥橪eary, Netmums editorial director, said:
That two-thirds of parents find they鈥檙e giving kids more treats as snacks than pre-pandemic doesn鈥檛 surprise me in the slightest 鈥� we all comfort ate our way through the pandemic and I know my kids ate far more treats than usual.
But thank heavens there鈥檚 now something to help get us all back on track. And that it鈥檚 from the gold standard in terms of trustworthiness, the NHS, hopefully means millions of families will be downloading it and using it ASAP.
Shopping for snacks can be an absolute minefield for busy parents, so thank you for coming to the rescue yet again, NHS.
As part of the government鈥檚 obesity strategy, the department is regulating the promotion of less healthy foods to children and has dedicated 拢100 million of funding to support children, adults and families achieve and maintain a healthier weight.
The NHS Food Scanner App provides parents with the ideal hack to improve their children鈥檚 health in 2022. The , or search 鈥楩ood Scanner App鈥�.
Background information
Link to .
, conducted from 7 to 17 December 2021.
Running throughout England from 10 January to 31 March, the campaign will include new advertising on TV, video on demand, radio, out of home, media partnerships, social media and other digital channels, together with national and regional PR activity.
The new TV ad brings the swaps to life by presenting the Food Scanner App as the simple solution to help parents find healthier swaps for their families.
Primary teachers will also be able to help pupils learn about making healthier food choices using a range of fun curriculum linked that feature the NHS Food Scanner App.
The 鈥楪ood Choice鈥� badge helps signpost consumers to healthier food and drinks that meet nutrient criteria in line the government鈥檚 dietary recommendations for added sugar, saturated fat and salt.
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