Parents “responsible for children's diets”

Citation

(2004), "Parents “responsible for children's diets”", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 34 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2004.01734cab.006

Parents “responsible for children's diets”

Parents “responsible for children's diets”

Most consumers think that parents should be responsible for improving their kids' diets, according to a poll carried out for the Food Standards Agency.

When asked to list who should take the responsibility for improving children's diets in order of importance, 88 per cent put parents at the top of the list.

Forty-three per cent thought that schools were second most responsible, with food manufacturers third (30 per cent) and broadcasters fourth (26 per cent).

Many of the 2,000 adults who took part in the poll in January 2004 also indicated the help that parents need from schools, food manufacturers and government to take action:

• •

  most consumers (85 per cent) thought that there should be greater controls over the way fast foods are promoted to children;

• •

  most (82 per cent) thought that endorsements from celebrities, such as pop stars or TV presenters, have considerable influence on children's choice of different foods; and

• •

  more than half (56 per cent) thought that sweets and chocolates should be removed from supermarket checkouts.

Sir John Krebs, Chair of the Food Standards Agency, said: “The rising level of obesity in children is worrying to us all, not least to the parents of those children. Doing nothing is not an option but reversing the trend is a huge task and one in which we all have a role to play”.