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Listen to this siteFriday 29 August 2003
Your questions answered.
QA
The Food Standards Agency commissioned this survey to find out the nutritional content of the lunchboxes children take to school.
The survey was carried out in the week beginning 28 April 2003 by the Community Nutrition Group (CNG) of the British Dietetics Association. It involved 24 schools from various areas across the UK, including a mix of urban/rural and ethnic communities. A range of levels of uptake of free school meals was also represented.
The lunchboxes of 556 pupils were included in the survey.
Information was collected on the carbohydrate, total fat, saturated fat, protein, salt and energy content of the children’s lunchboxes. The survey also provided information on which food contributed towards nutrient content and the items most likely to be found in the lunchboxes.
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The survey showed that children’s lunchboxes tend to provide:
Energy
The average food energy content of the school lunchboxes in the survey was about 650 kilocalories (kcal). This is equivalent to one-third of the daily amount that most children of this age need, and so should provide enough energy from lunch for most children.
Total fat
The average fat content of the school lunchboxes surveyed was 26 grams – equivalent to 36% of the food energy in the lunchboxes. This is only just over the recommended 35% of food energy.
Fat spreads, such as butter and margarine, followed by crisps and cheddar cheese, contributed most to the fat content of the lunchboxes.
Saturated fat
The average saturated fat content was high at 11g – equivalent to 15% of the food energy in the lunchboxes. This is considerably higher than the recommended 11% of food energy.
Similar to total fat, the major contributing foods to the saturated fat content were spreads such as butter and margarine, followed by crisps, cheddar cheese and chocolate bars/biscuits.
Salt
The average salt content of the school lunchboxes surveyed was high at 2.4g. This is close to half the maximum amount of salt recommended for the whole day for this age group (5g for 7 to 10 year olds and 6g for 11 years and older).
White bread contributed most to the salt content of the lunchboxes surveyed, followed by ham and crisps.
Carbohydrate
The average total carbohydrate content of the school lunchboxes surveyed was 91g. White bread, followed by crisps, contributed most to the carbohydrate content of lunchboxes surveyed.
Sugar
Carbohydrates are made up of starches and sugars. Two-fifths (40g) of the carbohydrate content of the lunchboxes was in the form of sugars. Foods that contributed most to the total sugar content were juice drinks, squashes and fizzy soft drinks, which are high in added sugar.
QA
The table below gives guidelines for this age group. The figures are based on the guidelines proposed by the Caroline Walker Trust Expert Working Group on Nutritional Guidelines for School Meals (CWT) in 2001. The guidelines for salt are based on the maximums recommended by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition.
The survey found an average of 40g of sugars in each lunchbox. This figure represents total sugars, which includes both natural and added sugars. A high proportion of the sugars in the lunchboxes came from added sugars, and this is the type that causes tooth decay.
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Children should be encouraged to eat a healthy balanced diet with only small amounts of food high in salt, sugar and fat, and to get plenty of physical activity. The health effects of having more than the recommended amounts are explained below.
Too much salt
Eating too much salt has been linked to higher than average blood pressure later in life, which may lead to an increased risk of heart disease or stroke.
In May 2003, the Agency issued maximum recommended levels of salt for children for the first time, following a report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition.
The maximum amount of salt children should be having varies by age:
The Agency advises parents/carers to cut the levels of salt they use, including salt added during cooking and at the table. About three-quarters of the salt we eat comes from processed food, so it is important to check the salt content on food labels when buying food, especially for children.
Too much saturated fat
Saturated fat and trans fat can increase blood cholesterol levels and can increase the risk of coronary heart disease in later life.
If children consistently have a diet that is high in fat and sugar for a long period of time, and don’t do regular physical activity, this could lead to problems in controlling their body weight and have implications for their future health.
Too much sugar
Eating sweet and sticky foods frequently, between meals, can damage teeth. Snack foods such as cakes, biscuits, crisps, chocolate and sweets, are often high in sugar and saturated fat, and low in vitamins and minerals.
So if children do eat these sorts of foods:
QA
The foods found most often in the lunchboxes surveyed were:
Fewer than half the lunchboxes contained a piece of fruit, when they did, apples were the most common, followed by bananas.
Food items found in the most lunchboxes included:
QA
It is important to encourage children to eat a balanced diet. This means that no foods are banned, we just need to get the balance right.
A balanced diet is one where meals are based on starchy foods such as bread, pasta, rice (wholegrain varieties where possible) or potatoes. It also means including:
QA
With the new school term approaching, the Agency has taken this opportunity to develop practical suggestions and tips for making healthy, varied and balanced lunchboxes for schoolchildren. The aim is to help reduce the high levels of saturated fat, sugar and salt eaten by children.
See below for healthy lunchbox tips and a month's worth of school lunchbox ideas.
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The Agency, in conjunction with Government health departments, is in discussions with food manufacturers, supermarkets and other food retailers about reducing salt levels in processed foods such as bread, crisps and cheese. Work to reduce levels of sugars and fat will follow later.
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The Agency continues to see work in schools as a priority area and is involved in a range of activities that involve schoolchildren, parents, teachers, school caterers and school governors. The Agency is also continuing to work with Government education and health departments, for example:
UK-wide
In England
In Scotland
In Wales
In Northern Ireland
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