Developing Understanding
5. Snack attack!		 Back

 

 

Teacher's notes

Snacks form a significant part of the average British child’s diet. The snacks eaten are often high in sugar and fat.

  • The National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2000) of British school-age children showed that on average four out of five children aged 4-18 regularly ate snack foods such as chips, biscuits and chocolate. About two thirds of young people ate sugar confectionery during the 7 day recording period and 84% boys and 80% of girls ate chocolate.
  • A study by the Health Education Authority and the British Market Research Bureau, Young People and Health, Health Behaviour in School-aged Children 1997, showed that seven out of ten young people had eaten at least two snacks on the previous day and almost four out of ten (38%) had eaten at least three.
  • The Sodexho School Meals Survey 2000 showed that a total of £365 million was spent per annum by 8-16 year olds on their way to and from school. In 2000 the average spent per day before school by 8-10 year olds was 41 pence with 51% of respondents buying sweets, 20% buying fizzy drinks, 30% buying chocolate and 41% buying crisps.
 

PSHE: 3a and 4a

Ask the children to consider the foods that they should be eating less of. What foods are they? When do they eat them? Are they most likely to be eaten as part of a main meal or as a snack?

Ask the children to explain why some people are concerned about the amount of fatty foods and the amount of sugary foods and drinks that some children eat. Because eating too many fatty foods can lead to heart disease in later life and having sugary foods like cakes biscuits, sweets, chocolate and soft drinks too often during the day can lead to dental caries.

Suggest alternative, healthier snacks.

 

Teacher's notes

While dried fruits like apricots and sultantas, and fruit smoothies and fruit juices are popular with children and can count as one of their five portions a day, they are best consumed at meal times rather than between meals. This is because the sugars in dried fruit and fruit juices are released from the cells of the fruit and come into direct contact with the teeth. Exposing the teeth to sugars frequently throughout the day is a major cause of dental caries and so it is best to limit these foods to mealtimes only. The sugars found in fresh fruits are contained within the fruits' cell structures and so they are considered safe snacks for teeth. Indeed snacking on whole fruit and vegetables is a good way incorporating more fruit and vegetables into the diet.

  

Draw up a list of recommendations that could be used to help the average 11 year old improve their diet.
 


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