The Infant & Toddler Forum welcomes Childhood Obesity Plan

The Infant and Toddler Forum (ITF) welcomes the government’s announcement today to reduce sugar content in food and drink by 20%, and to introduce a sugar levy.

Judy More, paediatric dietitian and ITF member, said: “Sugary food and drinks can have a detrimental effect on children’s health. When eaten too frequently they cause tooth decay and add excess calories increasing the likelihood of overweight and obesity.  Young children naturally like sweet food and drinks but it is a parent’s responsibility to offer children a balanced diet with a limit on sugary food and drinks. Reducing sugar intake by cutting out sugary drinks is an easy way to do this. We welcome any development that supports parents to better manage sugar consumption in their young children’s diets, makes them aware of the importance of doing so, and helps them put this into action.

“While the ITF supports these plans, we are however disappointed that the government has missed the opportunity to introduce other, more far-reaching measures in the fight against childhood obesity.

“For toddlers, advice such as the Ten Steps for Healthy Toddlers, on what food to offer, what behaviour to encourage, suitable portion sizes and how best to manage mealtimes, supports all families to take small steps towards a healthier life.”

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Further Reading

  • Judy More, Paediatric Dietitian and Registered Nutritionist Lucy Upton, Specialist Paediatric Dietitian and Nutritionist   Have a healthy Easter with The Infant & Toddler Forum’s suggested menu for toddlers!
  • Lucy Upton, Specialist Paediatric Dietitian and Nutritionist   Why is salt important for my toddler’s diet? Sodium, which is in salt, is important for healthy muscle, stomach and nerve function as well as being an essential component in the blood. Children need some sodium to grow.
  • Lucy Upton, Specialist Paediatric Dietitian and Nutritionist   Although the number of people in the UK forced to turn to food banks has been on the rise for a number of years now, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the already worrying situation even further. Data gathered by the Trussell Trust shows that there was a 47% increase in the number of people relying on foodbanks during the first six months of the pandemic compared to the same period last year. It seems families with children have been hardest hit with 2,600 food parcels being provided for children every day.