New research reveals foods high in fat, salt and sugar are the second-most consumed food group by children
START campaign encourages parents to start tackling treats by swapping them for healthier after-school and evening snacks.
START campaign encourages parents to start tackling treats by swapping them for healthier after-school and evening snacks.
Tuesday 14 May, 2019. New research¹ in support of the START campaign has revealed that foods like biscuits, crisps, chocolate and sweets are the second-most consumed food group by children. Almost 25% of all meals now include food and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) that are not recommended as part of a healthy diet. The research also found that 29% of children’s afternoon and evening snacks are foods high in fat, sugar and salt.
Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, Director, Human Health & Nutrition, safefood said:
The stand-out result in this research is how so-called “junk” food is now a filler between and after meals in families’ daily diets. Parents involved in the research told us that afternoons and evenings are the danger times when it comes to giving these foods to their children and to themselves.”
“Parents want their children to feel cared for and not to be hungry when they get in from school or before dinner is ready. These “junk” foods, which are full of empty calories, fill that gap and are now a staple in our weekly shop and our children’s daily diets. We struggle to avoid these treat foods every day because they’re available everywhere, highly palatable, cheap and frequently on special offer.”
The START campaign from safefood, the HSE and Healthy Ireland is encouraging parents to give healthier snacks to children and to only have treats in small amounts, and not every day. Agreeing to changes together as family and having a “no-junk-during-weekdays” plan are also ideas for families to try to cut down on treat foods.
Sarah O’ Brien, HSE national lead on the START campaign added: “What we hear from parents is that they recognise how important it is to make these changes for their children’s health but it is challenging. The START campaign is designed to help parents by providing practical tips, advice and support. The campaign partners - safefood, HSE and Healthy Ireland - know that parents also need support from the wider environment. Through the Healthy Weight for Ireland: Obesity Policy and Action Plan we are working to ensure schools, communities, workplaces as well as the food and drinks industry play their part in supporting parents to make healthier lifestyle choices for their families”.
Recent research* for the START campaign highlighted that 1 in 3 parents (33%) found it difficult to cut back on treat foods or keep them to a minimum. More than 1 in 3 parents (36%) also reported they were not confident about changing their child’s behaviour when it came to eating more healthily.The START campaign is a five-year public health awareness campaign from safefood, the HSE and Healthy Ireland. The campaign is encouraging families to take the first step towards a healthier lifestyle for their children by supporting them to achieve one daily win, and to persist with the changes, no matter how difficult they become. To find out more about the START campaign and ways to make a healthy, positive start visit www.makeastart.ie.
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For further information or to request an interview, please contact
Emma Walsh / Zara Brownless
Wilson Hartnell
Tel: +353 1 669 0030
Mob: +353 87 317 0897 (Emma) / +353 83 301 2442 (Zara)
Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
Or
Dermot Moriarty / Julie Carroll
safefood
Tel: 00353 1 448 0600
Mob: 00353 86 381 1034 (Dermot) / 00353 86 150 3047 (Julie)
Editor's notes
The START campaign is a five-year public health awareness campaign from safefood, the HSE and Healthy Ireland. The campaign is encouraging families to take the first step towards a healthier lifestyle for their children by supporting them with one daily win and to persist with the changes, no matter how difficult they become. To find out more about the START campaign and ways to make a healthy, positive start vvisit www.makeastart.ie.
In identifying the positive starts that parents and families can take, the campaign advertising focuses on seven key lifestyle habits:
- Minimise intake of foods high in fat, salt and sugar
- Establish water and milk as routine drinks
- Give appropriate child-sized portions to children
- Include more fruit and vegetables across the week
- Increase physical activity levels
- Limit screen time
- Increase sleep time
The campaign was developed using a “co-creation” approach, which involves working with parents in particular, and key stakeholders to ensure the campaign is relevant, realistic and can achieve results.
References
¹“What's on your child's plate? Food portion sizes and the proportion of different food groups eaten by children on the island of Ireland”. (UCC; Queens University Belfast; NUI Galway; safefood 2019)
*Ipsos MRBI / safefood in-home, face-to-face survey of 974 parents with children aged 6 months to 12 years; Oct 2018
