Schools 'can play an important role in health education'
UK schools can help teach children about the importance of health, diet and physical exercise, it has been claimed.
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has called on the government to implement plans for a reshuffling of the primary school curriculum to focus more clearly on these important areas.
Should the government put into practice these reforms it could help cut the increasing rates of childhood obesity which are currently being reported across the country, a development which could impact greatly on family health insurance plans.
Anna Groom, specialist paediatric dietician and spokesperson for BDA, said: "It is also important to remember that schools can only provide the opportunities - it is up to the individual students and their families to take up the challenge of implementing the healthier lifestyle choices."
According to the results of the National Child Measurement Programme 2007-08, published by the Department of Health, the percentage of children who are obese is almost twice as high in year six than in reception. However, the report noted that there was little change in the figures in comparison to the previous 12-month period.
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