Teens should curb junk food habits

Teenagers should be forced to stay in school at lunchtimes to stop them going out for junk food, Schools Secretary Ed Balls has said. He also called for councils to stop takeaways from opening near to schools. Addressing the Healthy Eating in Schools Conference in central London Mr Balls argued there was "no point" in banning junk food in schools if teenagers can get unhealthy food from nearby shops which undercut school lunch prices. He said he would back headteachers who wanted to bring in "stay-on-site" policies, particularly for younger pupils in secondary schools. He said while such schemes were not practical for all schools, they were popular with parents and a "key part" in persuading young people to eat healthier lunches. Mr Balls said: "We've made huge progress on school food - but what goes on outside the school gates is as important as what happens inside. "School, parents and local authorities all need to be working together to make sure our children and teenagers get the kind of healthy food that will set them up for success in life." He added: "Temptation can be hard to resist but we owe it to future generations to help young people make the right choices about how they want to live their lives." Mr Balls highlighted a plan by Waltham Forest Council to ban takeaways from opening within 400 metres of every school or youth facilities in the borough. Last month, research conducted by the Nutrition Policy Unit at London Metropolitan University, found despite moves to make school meals healthier, large numbers of children are still stocking up on calorie-laden, sugary foods from local shops.

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ITN | October 29, 2008

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