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Guidance urging schools in England to serve children meat at least three times a week should be overhauled in order to increase the eating of vegetables and legumes, a leading charity has said.
A report published by the Food Foundation has found that children eat proportionally more processed meat than adults, with more than a third (36%) of meat eaten by children coming from processed meat such as bacon, ham, and sausages, compared with 29% of adults.
The study also found that 80% of the most commonly eaten meat dishes in schools and educational institutions are either processed or red meat.
According to current government guidance, schools should provide a portion of meat or poultry for at least three days a week in school meals, which is part of the wider school food standards designed to ensure children have a balanced diet.
However, the Food Foundation is calling for the requirement to be relaxed, and that increased consumption of fruit, vegetables, and legumes should be encouraged through a specific strategy. The charity is also calling for the strengthening of government procurement rules for schools and other public spaces where food is served, through a review of government guidelines.
Rebecca Tobi of the Food Foundation, said: “It’s worrying that children are eating so much processed meat, especially in schools, where meals should be nourishing.
“The government should review the Government Buying Standards for Food and School Food Standards to ensure they align with the latest health and sustainability recommendations. This includes relaxing the rule requiring schools to serve meat three times a week and reducing the amount of processed meat served.
“This would let caterers offer more beans, pulses, wholegrains, and vegetables – improving health and cutting costs. Current policies don’t support children’s long-term health or British farmers, who face unfair competition from lower-standard imported processed meat.”
The report also found that four-fifths of the most commonly eaten meat-containing dishes from fast-food outlets are likely to be processed and/or highly processed meat, while sausages and bacon are two of the five most commonly eaten dishes in casual dining restaurant chains.
Processed meats, which can be high in salt and saturated fat, have been classified as carcinogenic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Cancer Research UK estimates that of the 42,000 new cases of bowel cancer that occur every year in the UK, 13% are caused by eating too much processed meat.
Dale Vince, a green energy industrialist and campaigner, said: “This report exposes the shocking fact that 80% of meat served in schools is either processed or is red meat, both of which are classified as carcinogenic by the WHO. Who in their right mind would do such a thing?
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“One of the most powerful things we can do for our health and that of our children is to reduce the consumption of meat. That’s a fact. The science is clear, the benefits are obvious. The law is wrong.”
A government spokesperson said: “Through our plan for change, this government is determined to give every child the best start in life, which includes creating the healthiest generation of children in our history.
“That is why we are engaging with stakeholders on the School Food Standards to ensure that schools provide children with healthy food and drink options.
“More widely, we are urgently tackling the childhood obesity crisis by shifting our focus from treatment to prevention, including by limiting schoolchildren’s access to fast food.”
