APPENDIX 12
Memorandum from the British Medical Association
GENERAL COMMENTS
The BMA welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence
to the Education Subcommittee's inquiry into school meals. We
believe this addresses the important issue of nutritional standards
which clearly have an impact on health promotion and disease prevention
in school age children. Good nutrition and the need for a balanced
diet, in addition to a programme of physical activity and also
education on the dangers of tobacco and alcohol misuse etc, are
vital for children's healthy development. Early education in these
issues and ensuring good habits early on in life will lead to
benefits for children now and in later life. It is therefore,
important to ensure that there is a consistent approach throughout
the country to nutritional standards in schools and that these
standards are monitored on a regular basis. We also hope that
the Food Standards Agency will, as suggested in the White Paper
Saving Lives—Our Healthier Nation, provide independent
and authoritative advice on all food safety and standards issues
which should include advice on healthy eating for children and
young people.
DIETARY NEEDS
FOR SCHOOL
CHILDREN
School children should be offered a choice of
healthy options for school meals with attention being paid to
food allergies and the need to highlight or label menu items and
ingredients accordingly, for example, products containing nuts.
We also believe that recognition should be given to awareness
of individual needs, for example, vegetarian diets and those with
specific food and production requirements such as religious groups.
Vending machines in schools are now a popular source of refreshments
and this should be taken into account when drawing up nutritional
guidelines.
We believe that in order to improve health and
reduce inequalities it would be advantageous to provide a safety
net for children at nutritional risk, for example, free nursery
and school milk, fruit and a balanced main meal. Studies have
shown that inadequate nutrition can impair cognitive development
and is associated with educational failures among impoverished
children. Even temporary food shortages can produce adverse outcomes
in developed as well as developing countries. (Brown and Sherman—Policy
Implications of New Scientific Knowledge, Journal of Nutrition
1995). Research among older children has shown that there can
be a nine point difference in IQ between children who were anaemic
(average 102) and children who are iron replete (average 111).
This disadvantage, the researchers calculate, is the equivalent
of a grade difference at GCSE. (Ash and Nelson)
The BMA also suggests that a government led
strategy is needed not only for young children but also for infants
to help prevent anaemia, dental caries and obesity, and that this
should also involve parents. We emphasised in our response to
the Government's consultation on the establishment of a Food Standards
Agency that we envisage a role for this body, acting as a national
focus for a nutrition strategy.
British Medical Association
5 October 1999
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