Disease Proof

What we feed our children can have a huge impact on lifelong health, so it's important to make good choices. In the United Kingdom, the government has looked into what children are eating in schools, and have decided it's time for a major overhaul. Whole categories of sugary, salty, and fatty foods will not be allowed.

Joe Harvey is director of the Health Education Trust, and applauds the move. In BBC's coverage of the "School Foods Ban" he points out that there have been a lot of profits from schools for purveyors of unhealthy foods:

"They're not there to make a profit for the confectionery and soft drink industry. They're there to care for children."

Making the decision not to eat certain unhealthy things is undoubtedly smart, but it hardly guarantees good nutrition. Avoiding sugar and fat is just one step (and from a child's point of view, not a very fun one). Getting kids to love leafy greens, beans, raw nuts, seeds, fresh fruits and vegetables, and other healthy foods is another important step, and one that takes some sustained nurturing, explaining, and role-modeling.