Parents 'should study food labels carefully'
With one in ten children expected to be obese by the end of 2105, parents are doing all they can to ensure their offspring eat healthily, but many are unknowingly feeding them food which is not as beneficial as they believe, a new report has revealed.
A study carried out by the British Heart Foundation found that over nine out of ten mums are misled by tactics manufacturers use to market children's foods loaded with fat, salt and sugar.
According to the report, many companies highlight the fact that products are wholegrain, even though they are often coated in sugar.
One example in the report was Nestle's Honey Shreddies, with the company stating that they are "wholegrain" and can "keep your heart healthy and maintain a healthy body", even though a 45g serving contains more sugar than a ring doughnut.
Commenting on the findings, Sian Porter, dietician and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, told private health cover holders that parents should try to look through the tactics which companies often use.
She added that studying the labels is a great way to ensure that children are getting the best possible foods.
"We recommend that parents learn how to read food labels. Sometimes it is not always clear but if you know what to look for then even if it's not clear, you will be able to zone in on the information that you need," she said.
The expert told those with affordable health insurance that getting children involved in making food and teaching them the nutritional benefits is likely to be of long-lasting benefit.
"If you are making things yourself and get the children involved in food, they become interested in it [and] if you are making it then you know exactly what's going into the food," she concluded.
Posted Louise Jones
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