New government standards could reverse 25 years of neglect
19 May 2006
Talking about the new minimum nutrition standards for school food, National Heart Forum's chief executive, Paul Lincoln, says:
"This is a very welcome if long-awaited announcement. If fully implemented these new minimum nutrition standards for school food should completely and positively alter the school food culture, which until recently has had two and half decades of almost complete neglect. They will also make a hugely significant contribution to the prevention of diet related diseases.
But continuing Government leadership is needed to send strong signals as to the importance of nutritious, healthy school food to health, wellbeing and pupil achievement. Change will require steady investment beyond the three year period proposed, especially as schools have disinvested in school catering equipment since the Education Act of 1980 when nutritional standards for school food were no longer required. Many schools do not even have school kitchens so this will require new capital funding.
We hope that the standards and progress will be monitored by OFSTED. This is absolutely fundamental to signaling the importance of this action and measuring progress. It is good to see that essential life-skills such as cooking skills will be on the curriculum, so thank you Jamie Oliver!"
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