Fast food outlets - threat to schools

The research highlights the most and least tempting local education authorities to go to school in by ranking all 149 authorities by the number of junk food outlets that exist per secondary school in that area. Brighton and Hove tops the table with 46 junk food outlets per secondary school, twice the national average of 23 per school. Blackpool and Kingston-Upon-Hull came second and third, both with a total of 40 outlets per school. Also in the top 10 were Reading, Middlesborough, Manchester, Bristol, Inner London, Newcastle and Gateshead, all with 35 outlets per school or more. These figures are in contrast with areas including Windsor, Maidenhead and Rutland, which have 11 and 13 junk food outlets per school. The popularity of junk food outlets means that many pupils are not benefiting from new nutritional standards in schools. Judy Hargadon, chief executive of the School Food Trust, said it is time to take action: "At the moment school canteens have to compete with a myriad of take-aways, chippies, and sweet shops for pupils' dinner money. We all know that some children will go for chips five times a week if they are allowed to. The problem is that this is damaging their long term health, and is also threatening the viability of school lunch services." Over the coming months The School Food Trust is looking at ways that schools and local authorities can combat the temptation posed by junk food outlets. One option the Trust is recommending is that schools look into the feasibility of adopting a 'stay-on-site policy', restricting pupils to school grounds during lunch times. Weblink: www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk