Ella's Kitchen needs your help to urge MPs to tackle childhood food issues

Our friends over at Ella's Kitchen are urging MPs to tackle the childhood food issues, and you can help too by 

Supporting the call for a ‘Food Manifesto for the Under Fives’ and help avert a disaster by sharing: “I support the #KidsFoodManifesto”

The activity comes off the back of one of Ella's kitchen research paper, Averting a Recipe for Disaster, which found that:

-      1 in 3 children today are overweight or obese

-      Nearly three quarters of children have not had breakfast when they arrive at school, and have no lunch or the means to pay for one

-      The poorest households are buying less fresh fruit and vegetables

I'm 100% behind this campaign, it saddens me to think that 1 in 4 children are only have one hot meal a day and that is usually a school dinner! 

Also the report shows that 1 in 3 children are obese! 

It's such a stark difference but both are extremely important as they both seriously effect a child's health both mentally and physically!

If MPs can make any difference, this should be one of their priorities.

I will be tweeting I support the  #kidsfoodmanifesto 

Here's a bit more information for you 

 

MPs URGED TO TACKLE CHILDHOOD FOOD ISSUES

 

ELLA’S KITCHEN® BRAND COMMISSIONS SYMBOLIC PETER PAN STATUE TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD NUTRITION

 

 

A group of little ones, representing the nation’s children, accompanied a replica of the iconic Peter Pan statue last week to a position on the Albert Embankment, overlooking the Houses of Parliament. 

 

The statue, adapted to feature a large hole in place of his tummy, has been commissioned by Ella’s Kitchen to urge all MPs not to ignore the importance of early childhood nutrition.

 

The placing of the statue in this location represents a final push in the aims of the Averting a Recipe for Disaster report.  Published in 2013 the report asked the 3 main parties to recognise the importance of early childhood nutrition by committing in their upcoming election manifestos to appointing a Government Advisor to coordinate an independent review of health, nutrition + food education for the under-fives.

 

Britain is facing a health crisis. One in three of today’s children are overweight or obese and half of today’s children will be obese by the time they are middle aged. 

 

Professor David Haslam, Chairman of the National Obesity Forum explains “We currently have an epidemic of obesity, which in five years will turn into an epidemic of diabetes, and in another five years will turn into an epidemic of heart disease.”

 

In stark contrast to the obesity epidemic, malnutrition is on the rise. Nearly three-quarters of teachers have seen children who have not only skipped breakfast, but also have no lunch, or the means to pay for one. The poorest households are buying less fresh fruit and fewer vegetables.  

 

The report, ‘Averting a Recipe for Disaster’, was commissioned by Paul Lindley, Chief Executive and Founder of Ella’s Kitchen and a father to Ella. It brought together leading figures in the food industry, health professionals, industry journalists and policy-makers to give their expert views on tackling malnutrition, as well as childhood obesity. The report calls for a coordinated, long-term strategy that focuses on the health and well-being of our youngest children.

 

 

Paul Lindley, Founder and CEO of Ella’s Kitchen said; “Britain’s economy is the 6th largest in the world. It would therefore be disgusting, and morally indefensible, should there be any permanently hungry children in our country today. Yet there are, and a growing number; 1 in 4 kids only have one hot meal a day – which is usually a school lunch. We hope that when MPs see what this statue represents, they will have a greater understanding of the severity of the issue and act to deliver a long-term strategy that focuses on the health and wellbeing of our youngest children.

 

“Food habits, both good and bad are formed in the earliest years. We need to help children have a better relationship with food so they grow up with healthy habits that will last their lifetime. The future health of our nation rests on the nutrition of today’s youngest children.”

Schools Minister, Rt Hon David Laws MP, has given his support to a long-term plan to improve the nutrition of children under five.

It’s in response to a campaign called Averting A Recipe For Disaster, which is rallying MPs to give manifesto commitments to appointing a Government Adviser, to coordinate an independent review of health, nutrition and food education for the under-fives with a long-term goal of improving Britain’s dietary health.

Minister for Schools, Rt Hon David Laws MP, said:

"The early years are a critical time in a child's development, which is why we must give more children access to a high quality pre-school education.

It's impossible for children to learn and develop unless they are well nourished.  I therefore support the idea of a coordinated, long-term approach to improving the nutrition of under-fives.

Like the introduction of free school meals for every five, six and seven year old, looking at food in the early years could be an important step towards improving the dietary health of our nation.

"Free school meals make children healthier, better-behaved, and help them achieve better results, which is why we want them made available to all primary school pupils.”

After reading this what are your thoughts? Will you be supporting this campaign?