Healthy Eating

Ask any group of teenagers in the UK what they most like to eat, and food like pizzas, curries, pasta, burgers and chips is bound to get a mention, and many young people would probably also list hanging out at the local fast-food restaurants as one of their favourite pastimes. But what teenagers like to eat is not necessarily what they should be eating. According to a survey, far too many young people in the UK between the ages of 4 and 18 consume too much fat, sugar and salt in their diet and take in too many calories. Meanwhile their intake of starchy carbohydrates, fibre, iron, vitamins and calcium is too low. For a growing body, eating food containing plenty of calcium, such as milk, yoghurt and cheese is particularly important as calcium is essential for the development of healthy and strong bones. Similarly, food that is rich in iron is good for young, rapidly developing bodies, so red meat, bread, green vegetables, dried fruit and breakfast with cereals are also recommended. It is during our teenage years that lifestyle habits can become entrenched, so it is crucial that young people are educated about what food is good for them. In an attempt to change eating habits and open teenagers’ minds to new flavours and new tastes, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver launched a ‘Feed Me Better’ campaign. As part of a television series, Jamie’s School Dinners, he worked with teachers and cooks in a number of schools across the UK to provide more healthy, nutritious school meal options. Although there was initial resistance from some teenagers and parents, the campaign was generally hailed as a huge success and helped influence governmental policy on nutritional standards for school meals. No one expects to end the teenage love with fast and junk food but, hopefully, if projects like ‘Feed Me Better’ and the Government’s own ‘Change4Life’ campaign continue to give out the right messages, more young people will understand the importance of balancing occasional treats with healthier food options.