The project, entitled Food for Thought, is the first to be undertaken by the Network's new research foundation and will be repeated annually to build up a data bank about children's lifestyles across the UK.
More than 1,000 playworkers, parents and children will be interviewed over several weeks, and the research will also include information from a further 1,000 children and their parents who have been asked to keep a seven-day food diary, recording everything they eat and drink.
Kids' Club Network chief executive Anne Longfield said, 'Children and family life are changing dramatically, with faster lifestyles and often faster food. But these aren't always changes for the better, and while the diversity of food many children enjoy has increased, the structure of regular mealtimes and balanced diets are often being lost.'
Gill Fine, Sainsbury's head of food and health, said, 'Healthy eating is a very important factor in a healthy lifestyle, particularly now that research shows obesity among children in the UK is on the rise. Working alongside the Kids' Club Network with this research project is an important initiative in our goal to achieve a healthier future.'
The results of the first Food for Thought survey will be published later this year and will be used as the baseline for future research.