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Reports a survey of 507 parents of 7 to 11‐year‐old children in the Central Television district of the UK to ascertain what food products children requested and the effects of television advertising on children′s food preferences. The questionnaire found that 45 per cent of products requested had an extrinsic sugar content and 39 per cent of requests were for advertised foods. In addition a wide range of products were requested reflecting sophisticated tastes and, sometimes, healthy eating concern. Discusses the contradictory nature of messages about food that children receive and suggests that healthy eating campaigns should use specific food items as examples and advertisements should convey non‐misleading nutritional information.

Access to food is currently on the political agenda. This paper presents a quantitative method for local level use to help identify the geographic location of areas with inadequate access to food. A census of retail outlets selling food of any kind was carried out in a deprived area within a 2km radius from a central point between two estates. Information on the price and availability of “healthy” food lists, acceptable to each of the four major ethnic groups in the area, was collected. The food lists were not mutually exclusive. Food shops were mapped in terms of food availability and price indices using Geographical Information System (GIS) software. Maps show, progressively: roads within/outside 500m of a postcode with any outlet selling food; any outlet selling more than 50 per cent of the food list, below the area mean price, acceptable to a Gujarati Hindu; the latter in relation to population density. Within the area analysed there appears to be reasonable walking access to the more reasonably priced shops within the area, however the cost of a healthy diet would still require more than 50 per cent of the income of someone in receipt of income support.

Describes self‐reported dietary supplement use among elderly people in the UK and explores the association between supplement use and socioeconomic, physical and dietary factors. A three‐phase survey incorporating face‐to‐face interviews, self‐completed four‐day dietary diaries with a food frequency questionnaire and follow‐up face‐to‐face interviews took place in urban Nottingham and rural Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire. A total of 957 elderly people (aged over 65) were randomly selected from general practitioner lists. A total of 36 per cent of the urban respondents and 41 per cent of rural respondents were taking at least one dietary supplement. Respondents who did not smoke were of a higher social class and had more qualifications were the most likely to take supplements. Fish oil was the most commonly taken supplement, followed by multivitamins, garlic tablets and vitamin C. The mean dietary intake of all respondents was above the reference nutrient intakes (RNIs) for nutrients studied. The diets of supplement users, excluding nutrients derived from supplementation, contained more iron, vitamin C, fibre, folate and oily fish than non‐users. Dietary supplement usage is widespread among the UK elderly, although supplement users within this sample do not appear to have diets which warrant supplementation to meet RNIs in the nutrients studied. Many advantages are, however, reported of consuming fish oils, garlic and higher intakes of anti‐oxidants.

Poor mental health and well-being disproportionately affects vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

The focus of this paper is socioeconomic inequalities in perinatal, child and adolescent mental health.

Children and young people in the poorest British households are up to three times more likely to develop mental health problems than their more advantaged peers (Green et al., 2005). The pattern can also be observed in the opposite direction, with poor mental health known to contribute to socioeconomic and other health problems (McCulloch and Goldie, 2010, Parckar, 2008). At a larger scale, the higher the level of inequality within developed countries, the higher the rate of child and adolescent mental health problems (Pickett et al., 2006).

Mechanisms posited as underlying such inequalities include family investment and stress processes. These factors have been taken into account when developing the economic case for investing in perinatal, child and adolescent mental health.

Illustrative examples of progressive universal strategies and policies to help reduce socioeconomic inequalities in mental health, include: action to address the inequality gap in the UK; early intervention to improve mental health; investing in sustainable and evidence-based mental health services; ensuring parity of esteem, and; using appropriately designed social media and online sources to support children’s mental health.

This paper was written as part of a suite to inform the Big Lottery Better Start programme and as such has focused on the outcomes that are of interest to that programme. The authors have also focused on outcomes for younger children and the zero to three years age group where data are available. There is a social gradient such that the lower a family's socio-economic status (SES) the greater the likelihood that they have children who are obese, have impaired social and emotional skills, or have impaired language acquisition. These statistics are clear and undisputed. The purpose of this paper is to explore some of the reasons for the social gradient in these outcomes. The paper provides some suggestions for actions that might be taken to redress the inequalities. It follows broader work presented in, for example, the Marmot (2010) review, Fair Society Healthy Lives.

Rapid review of the literature building on the work of the Marmot (2010) review.

Poor SES is linked with increased stress and a higher likelihood of being unable to afford to live a healthy life. These factors can have a negative impact on children's outcomes. The paper presents some examples of what can be done.

This should be a useful paper for local authorities trying to reduce inequalities and improve outcomes.

THE PRESIDENT of the Library Association for 1929–30 will be Lord Balneil, the son of the Earl of Crawford, and it is difficult to think of a better choice. Lord Balneil has an admirable bibliographical ancestry—if we may so put it—seeing that his grandfather, the 26th Earl of Crawford, was President in 1898; and the Haigh Hall Library at the family seat is one of the noble private libraries of England. Lord Balneil is the Chairman of the Appeal Committee for the endowment of the School of Librarianship and so has already identified himself in a practical manner with the cause of libraries.

FROM everywhere there are reports of increased issues of books from libraries. The famine in copies no doubt accounts in part for it and, probably, there is also what is almost a resurgence of effort after knowledge amongst young men and women who are endeavouring in many fields of work to recover some of the losses of the war years. We cannot recall at any time when so much hard grinding study was being done as now. Pessimists about youth and juvenile delinquency (which however is incidental to a much younger age than that we are contemplating) would do well to reflect upon this fact. Whatever the cause, the immediate prospects for libraries in universities, works, and social institutions of every sort were never brighter. We know that certain types of “economist” of the faded “retrenchment and reform” type say the situation is temporary and artificial but, even if it is, and we are by no means acquiescent in this opinion, much ground may be won and held from any temporary good period. We think librarianship, under the present leadership of the Library Association, may be able to consolidate the position both for public and for other kinds of libraries. The Association was never better led than since the war; it has had remarkably statesmenlike presidents, an active council and an Honorary Secretary who for constructive capacity, vision, literary skill and fearlessness, combined with an energy and industry that leaves most of his contemporaries breathless, has not been surpassed; and he is backed by a Staff that rises to the ever‐increasing demands of the service. We are glad to write this last sentence, for Secretary Welsford has to cover many duties and serve many causes: receive and entertain the Association's guests from overseas; look after meetings; the educational services which now are very great; attend to the troubles of librarians everywhere and advise in them about matters ranging from salaries to ethics; our publications, accounts, catering, interviewing, negotiating with public departments and other bodies. As for the meetings of the Council and its committees, we are told, not by Mr. Welsford who knows nothing of this note, that its reports and papers ran in March alone to 200 foolscap typed pages! Of course Mr. Welsford has an excellent staff which assists him with real live interest. The time has come, however, as our readers now know, when special senior officers to deal with Membership and Education respectively are to be appointed to work side by side with the Librarian, the excellent Mr. Henrik Jones (who never fails the searcher, even the youngest, and seems to know what we are all doing) to carry “at a high level” some of the burdens. Annual Reports are not always read but we were drawn to these reflections by the recently issued Report of the Library Association for the year. We commend it to those who are inclined to leave it unread.

Describes a study of food choice among elderly people living in a rural area. The findings reveal that knowledge about “healthy foods” in this age group is good and that people often choose healthier foods in preference to alternatives, despite finding the alternatives more palatable.

The purpose of this paper is to examine a case study for increasing supply of, and demand for, healthier food in the metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, West Midlands, UK. Sandwell has a declining and ageing population. Levels of cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes and obesity are all high. These diseases should not just be regarded as medical problems with medical solutions. By considering both the built environment and the population's health the paper aims to demonstrate how local action is driving strategic food policy.

Food mapping and children's food/obesity prevalence research provided the evidence base for a locally appropriate approach. From ongoing work generated by this evidence base, Sandwell's food policy has been developed to provide a focus and framework for action. This strategic approach has led to the development of neighbourhood renewal funded work “Eatwell in Sandwell”.

By working in partnership with the private sector, i.e. retail businesses and specialist consultants, it is shown that bridges can be built between public health and the private sector to the benefit of both. For some people living in neighbourhoods with poor or non‐existent fresh produce provision, the Eatwell shops have brought about the regeneration of not just the shops, but also of the shopping habits that were previously difficult or impossible. It is suggested that food must regain its centrality to people's daily lives, not only to improve health, but also to ensure sustainable communities for the next generation.

This paper is a useful source for researchers/students with interests in the topics of food poverty, public health and food retail access