A coalition of health experts and medical bodies descended on the Department of Health and Social Care today to hand in a letter to the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting MP. The letter called on the government to follow the example of Free School Meals for All provision across London primary schools, by implementing it nationwide.
The hand-in was organised as part of the National Education Union's (NEU) No Child Left Behind campaign, which is calling on the government to ensure every child has the basics to learn and thrive. It also links with the BDA's universal free school meals campaign.
Member, Clare Thornton-Wood represented the BDA at the hand-in and spoke passionately about the benefits of universal free school meals.
The letter to Wes Streeting highlighted the devastating impact of poor diet and food scarcity on the health of children and young people and you can read it in full below.
Hannah Whittaker, Specialist Paediatric Dietitian and British Dietetic Association spokesperson added, "The initiative to expand free school meals to all primary school children is a vital step toward addressing the growing issue of child malnutrition in the UK. With 4.2 million children living in poverty, many regularly miss out on essential meals like lunch and breakfast, which can lead to serious nutritional deficiencies and malnutrition. Missing meals can also impact on a child’s concentration and their ability to learn and develop.
“By advocating for nutritionally balanced universal free school meals, the BDA aims to ensure that every child has access to the nutrition they need to thrive. This will help to break the cycle of poverty and provide a healthier, more equitable future for our children."
The letter
Dear Secretary of State,
Congratulations on your appointment as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. As healthcare professionals, we look forward to working with you to create a healthier, more equal society for everyone across the UK.
We know that your priority is to ensure that every child grows up into healthy, happy and fulfilled adults. This is not possible while the youngest generation cannot access sufficient nutritious food.
Every day, we see the devastating impact of poor diet and food scarcity on the health of our children and young people. This cannot be right, and your government cannot stand by while it worsens. That is why we are writing to implore you to seek the rollout of nutritious Free School Meals for all children attending state-funded primary schools in England.
Good nutrition is critical to good health. As clinical, medical and health practitioners we see the vital impact school meals have on the healthy development of children. We know that school meals are the healthiest option for children, as less than 2% of packed lunches meet the same nutritional standards. That’s why investing in every child with a delicious and nutritious school lunch would ensure that no child misses out on the food they need to develop thoroughly and lead longer, healthier lives.
As you know, record levels of child poverty are driving a crisis in children’s mental and physical health. We are writing to you as we are steadfast in our belief that Free School Meals must be part of the answer to an epidemic that is rapidly spiralling out of control. At a time when mental health services cannot meet demand, food insecurity is driving poor mental health, and the current system of means testing Free School Meals is contributing to this. Nearly a quarter of five-year-olds in England are affected by tooth decay – the single biggest reason that lands these children in hospital, and the leading cause of which is poor diet. More than 36% of Year 6 children are overweight or living with obesity. Meanwhile providing Free School Meals for all has been shown to reduce obesity by significantly more than other bodyweight reduction interventions trialled in the UK. This cannot continue – action must be taken urgently by investing in the next generation with quality school meals for all.
We strongly welcome the Mayor of London’s commitment to providing Free School Meals for all the capital’s primary school children, because we know the benefits it will bring. A recent study has found that providing school lunches universally reduces the prevalence of obesity by more than other interventions such as nutrition education or exercise schemes like The Daily Mile. The Universalism Multiplier report, compiled by the Child Poverty Action Group and National Education Union, highlights:
- Increased financial and psychological security for families
- Improved nutrition and school engagement and attendance for pupils
- A reduction in stigma and social exclusion as a result of a universal policy
- Improved home/school relationships
- Changed eating habits for pupils which extend to the home
- A richer educational experience for children from different backgrounds
You have spoken in the past of the opportunity the London universal rollout provides to research the impact of Free School Meals on childhood health and nutrition and education attainment – quite aside from the welcome support this provides families struggling with financial pressures. We write to you today to say we have learned all we need to from this research opportunity – we know that the provision of Free School Meals is a simple and highly impactful means of lifting children out of the clutches of illness and health inequalities.
The government which follows the science to improve its nation’s health will not just see dividends in the nation’s wellbeing, but also huge economic returns on investment. Analysis by PwC has found that providing free school meals for all would generate around £100 billion for our economy over the next 20 years. The policy could pay for itself within two parliaments.
We urge you to stand with us, as medical and health experts, and work with your government colleagues to invest in the next generation with Free School Meals for all. This will be a powerful first step towards realising the good health our children deserve, so they can thrive during their development and go on to live long, happy and healthy lives.
BDA spokesperson Clare Thornton-Wood handed in the letter to the Secretary of State.
Photo: Emily-Jayne Nolan
