Diabetes UK Welcomes New School Meals Regulations

19 Jun 2014 --- The UK Government has launched new regulations for schools, which restrict the amount of unhealthy food children are served at school.

The new regulations form the Government’s School Food Plan, which promotes healthy eating in schools and is mandatory in all schools in England, and will be effective from January 2015. Diabetes UK’s Policy Manager Nikki Joule explains why we have welcomed the new regulations:

“The regulations will mean that all schools in England, including free schools and academies, will have to provide more fresh fruit and vegetables, promote drinking water and limit foods that are high in salt, saturated fat and sugar in school meals.
 
“This is good news as it will help to ensure that children eat healthily and well when they are at school and will also help to encourage healthy eating habits later in life.
 
“This is really important as unhealthy lifestyles along with obesity are massive contributing factors for developing Type 2 diabetes, which unlike Type 1 diabetes, is largely preventable.

“With increasing numbers of people in the UK at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes as they get older we want to see all schools fully implement the Government’s new regulations.
 
“It is also important to remember that Type 1 diabetes, which tends to develop in young children, is in no way related to diet or lifestyle and can’t be prevented.”