Nursery World - Food survey attacks snacks

Children as young as four are eating up to 80 food additives a day, 50 of which are found in snack foods, according to a report by the children's food company, Organix. The report, Carrots or Chemistry? Snacking and child health, published last week, is based on two independent studies and focuses on the snacking habits of children aged four to 11.

Children as young as four are eating up to 80 food additives a day, 50 of which are found in snack foods, according to a report by the children's food company, Organix.

The report, Carrots or Chemistry? Snacking and child health, published last week, is based on two independent studies and focuses on the snacking habits of children aged four to 11.

The first study, involving 206 children at 16 primary schools, found that 99 nine per cent of the children ate snacks, some up to six per day. Ten per cent of the children spent up to 30 a month on snacks and 61 per cent of four-and five-year-olds bought their own.

The second study, which looked at 42 children's food diaries, found that half their daily calories came from snacks rather than from meals and that half the weight of the daily food intake was derived from snacks. Only one in five children followed the Government's recommended 'five-a-day'

consumption of fruit and vegetables.

Lizzie Vann, founder of Organix and the report's author, said the 'snacking culture' was 'one of the major factors which will have a serious impact on the long-term health of UK children'.

She said, 'Food manufacturers use colourings, flavourings, and large amounts of sugar, salt and fat to make snacks more appealing to children.

While Food Standards Agency polls put parents at the top of the responsibility list, it is clear that parents are fighting a constant battle against a lack of information, particularly from labelling and the persistent marketing of junk foods to their children.'

Organix has called for the Government to introduce a Children's Food Bill that looks at all aspects of marketing of children's food, including packaging, and food education. Ms Vann said, 'It must address serious issues such as the number and safety of the artificial additives found in snacks.'

To help parents and carers make informed decisions, Organix has produced a card listing the ingredients it wants to see banned in foods for children under six. The card can be obtained from the website www.babyorganix.co.uk

or freephone 0800 393 511.

THE DIRTY DOZEN

1 Mechanically recovered/ separated meat

2 Monosodium glutamate E621

3 Sodium 5-ribonucleotide E635

4 Aspartame

5 Acesulfame K

6 Sodium saccharine

7 Sodium benzoate E211

8 Sulphur dioxide E220

9 Colours (Quinoline Yellow E104, Brilliant Blue E133, Sunset Yellow E110, Carmoisine E122, Ponceau 4R E124, Indigo Carmine E132)

10 High-salt foods (more than 0.5g sodium or 1.2g of salt per 100g)