'Jamie's School Dinners' programme highlights need for National Curriculum changes

2.08.20pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 30th Mar 2005

Councillor Kathy Pollard, who is the Liberal Democrats' Parliamentary Candidate for South Suffolk, is calling for National Curriculum changes following 'Jamie's School Dinners' programme. Mrs. Pollard is writing to Prime Minister Tony Blair to suggest that the National Curriculum should allow all secondary school pupils to learn about nutrition and basic cookery skills.

Statistics from the British Heart Foundation state that the UK now has the fastest growing rate of obesity in the developed world, bringing with it increased risks of type 2 diabetes, cancer and coronary heart disease. Obesity has almost doubled in children aged 2-15. Kathy Pollard said, "We have a generation that relies heavily on junk food. Unless we can break out of this, the nation's health will suffer."

Councillor Kathy Pollard is also calling on the Government to follow the example of other countries, by banning artificial food additives that lead to hyperactivity and asthma in children. Mrs Pollard said, "Jamie Oliver has highlighted the improvement in behaviour and health when you give children good food. The problem is that on their way home from school they can simply go into their local shop and buy a cocktail of artificial additives in coloured sweets, drinks and flavoured crisps, which can undo all the good."

Kathy Pollard is particularly concerned about artificial food colourings and flavour enhancers, such as the suspected carcinogen Sunset Yellow, and monosodium glutamate. She added, "People who have reactions to these additives have to scan the labels of every product. Eating out can be a nightmare, as only a few restaurants are allergy aware. These artificial additives are unnecessary and harmful to a significant proportion of the population. Other countries have already banned a number of them - they should not be allowed in our food."