Barnardo's urges UK to improve child nutrition urgently

Barnardo's, a children's charity, has urged the UK government to take strong action on child nutrition. In a letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, they warned that British children are becoming shorter, more overweight, and unhappier compared to their peers in Europe. Lynn Perry, CEO of Barnardo's, highlighted the urgency of addressing rising obesity, tooth decay, and long-term health issues like diabetes. She praised government efforts to create a healthier generation but emphasized that current measures are insufficient. Perry's letter points out that poverty is impacting children's health and happiness. The charity has proposed five key changes to improve child nutrition. These include investing junk food taxes to make healthy food more accessible, updating dietary advice, boosting voucher schemes for low-income families, expanding free school meals, and supporting local initiatives to promote good nutrition. Barnardo's also seeks a meeting with the Health Secretary to discuss collaboration on these issues. They stressed that failing to act could lead to another generation facing health struggles. The charity believes immediate and bold actions are necessary. Meanwhile, another charity, School Food Matters, is campaigning to extend eligibility for free school meals. They found that many teachers are personally buying food for hungry students. Presently, parents must earn below £7,400 a year to qualify for free meals, leaving over a million children without access. The campaign is backed by celebrities like Jamie Oliver. As food costs rise, schools are struggling to provide adequate meals. Reports show that 38% of school leaders often pay for meals for children who don't qualify for free meals. Many schools are forced to write off meal debt or set up food banks to help families in need. Experts stress that children need balanced meals for their development and learning. A director from a school food supplier noted that budgets have not kept up with food inflation, leading to less nutritious options being served. A government spokesperson acknowledged the challenges of child poverty and stated that they are taking action to improve the situation. They mentioned new free breakfast clubs beginning in April, backed by significant investment, and said they are reviewing their approach to free school meals.