The aim is to instil healthier attitudes in children for life-long health through a practical-based programme of everyday tips on which foods to offer and which behaviours to encourage as early on as possible. There will be a series of factsheets released through the course of the year breaking down the dietary requirements of young children into the nutrients required. They will also highlight the benefits of active play.
More than 90 per cent of the excess weight in nine-year-old girls and over 70 percent in nine-year-old boys are gained before the child gets to school age, showing that there must be more information about healthy eating in the early years.
Dental decay is also a major concern with more than 30 per cent of children in the UK suffering from dental decay by they time they are five years old. In addition vitamin D deficiency is on the increase with the resurgence of rickets in the toddler age group and the number of children developing diabetes has rocketed in recent years, making it the fastest growing childhood disease.
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