The Dietary Intake in Scotland’s Children (DISH) survey, which is being carried out by the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems at the University of Edinburgh and Taylor McKenzie on behalf of Food Standards Scotland (FSS), will be sent to around 17,000 children and young people between the ages of two and 15.
Those randomly selected for the survey will receive a purple envelope in the post inviting them to share information, via an online questionnaire, on what they eat and drink. Parents or carers of younger children will be asked to complete the survey on their behalf.
The information gathered from the survey will be used to help achieve the Scottish Government’s ambition to halve childhood obesity by 2030. The findings from the survey will be published later in 2024.
Dr Fiona Comrie, senior public health nutrition adviser at FSS, said: “This important piece of work will be the first time in over a decade that we have collected information on what children and young people eat and drink in Scotland. In that time there has been a wave of changes to where we eat, and what is on offer.
“What surrounds us, shapes us and in Scotland we are surrounded by less healthy food and drink options. This makes it challenging for families in Scotland to eat well.”
For information on making healthier choices for you and your family, visit: Eat Well Your Way.