NUT: Education key to ending bad food habits

Better education should be relied upon to help children learn the difference between good and bad food, the National Union of Teachers (NUT) believes.

Steve Sinnott, the NUT's general secretary, said he welcomed the intentions of the School Food Trust in its proposals to prevent children from eating at junk food outlets at lunchtime.

But he pointed out banning off-site trips in the lunch hour "could simply mean that youngsters will flock to junk food outlets at the end of the school day".

"Obviously junk food leads to obesity, but children's hearts and minds have to be won in the battle for their health," he said.

"We need to concentrate on providing healthy and attractive food at school lunchtimes and to giving space in the curriculum to learning about healthy eating and cooking."