Children’s health chief calls for free school meals amid impact on children’s health

As reported by The Independent, children with iron deficiency anaemia is just the start,’ warns Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health president Camilla Kingdon

The government must offer all children free school meals to address the country’s ‘profoundly disturbing’ food poverty rates, the NHS’ most senior paediatrician says.

Camilla Kingdon, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, warned the cost of living crisis was forcing struggling families to turn to unhealthy food and called on the government to act.

She said it was often cheaper for parents to feed their children junk food, as food prices continue to soar, and this was impacting children’s health, from poor growth rates to obesity.

She wants the government to step up support by giving all children, not just those in low-income families, free school meals.

In an exclusive interview, she said: “There’s something profoundly disturbing about the picture of a hungry child struggling through the school day. The reality of modern Britain is that to feed your children a healthy diet is a challenge, and we only expect that to become more of a problem as this cost-of-living crisis continues.”

“The government should fund free school meals for all children to remove the current stigma of free school meals. Offering a healthy meal at school is an important opportunity to promote health for every child in the UK.”

In November last year, NHS Digital published data revealed the rates of childhood obesity in 2020-21 had increased by four point five per cent, with 14% of children aged four to five years old now obese.

Public Health data shows the proportion of children in low-income households increased by 15% during the same period.

Dr Kingdon warned: “Children with iron deficiency anaemia is just the start. We’ll start seeing children who are less resilient – more inclined to get sick than a child with access to nutritious food.