RSPH calls for ban on pupils ordering fast food to school

The Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) has published a report calling on the government to ban children from being allowed to order takeaways to their school.

It warned that one in four children have ordered unhealthy foods to be delivered to school, with numerous reports concluding that takeaways were most to blame for childhood obesity.

The group surveyed 500 children and young people between 13 and 18 and found 40 per cent were able to walk from their school to a fast food restaurant or sweet shop in less than two minutes. The report comes ahead of the long awaited government childhood obesity strategy.

The RSPH recommended using loyalty cards which gave shoppers points for making healthy food choices, encouraging supermarkets to give away vegetables considered too unconventional looking to sell.

The report also suggested that free wi-fi should be offered in healthy environments such as parks, to provide alternative options to visiting restaurants and coffee shops in search of free wi-fi.

Shirley Cramer, chief executive of RSPH, said: “Our childhood obesity rates are disappointing, and tackling this must be a priority for government – there can be no excuses for fudging action on what is our number one public health challenge."

“While we welcome the government’s introduction of a sugar levy on soft drinks, it is absolutely critical that the forthcoming childhood obesity strategy builds on this positive step with a basket of hard-hitting measures, from greater controls on advertising and marketing of junk food to food reformulation.”