Junk food temptations have been revealed by The School Food Trust, which has revealed just how many fast food outlets there are per UK secondary school in the first ever junk food temptation league table. The Trust has responded by urging schools to ban pupils from leaving the premises during lunchtimes.
Brighton and Hove tops the table with 46 junk food outlets per secondary school, which is twice the national average of 23 per school.
Windsor and Maidenhead, and Rutland have the lowest number of junk food outlets per secondary school with 11 and 13 junk food outlets per school respectively.
Judy Hargadon, Chief Executive of the School Food Trust, said: ‘At the moment, school canteens have to compete with a myriad of take-aways, chippies, and sweet shops for pupils’ dinner money. We all know that some children will go for chips five times a week if they are allowed to. The problem is that this is damaging their long-term health.’
The Trust recommends that schools ban pupils from leaving the school premises at lunchtime, in order to stop them buying junk-food lunches. Ninety per cent of parents agree that schools should adopt a ‘stay on site’ policy, according to unrelated research by Tick Box that was released today.
Leicester City Council has already announced that it is planning to ban mobile burger and ice cream vans from operating around schools.
JUNK FOOD LEAGUE TABLE: TOP 10
(Local authority and number of junk food outlets per secondary school.)
1. Brighton and Hove: 46.11
2. Blackpool: 40.63
3. Kingston upon Hull: 40.00
4. Reading: 39.17
5. Middlesbrough: 38.33
6. Manchester: 36.95
7. City of Bristol: 36.94
8. Inner London: 36.66
9. Newcastle upon Tyne: 36.21
10. Gateshead: 35.00
National average: 23 outlets per school
Urban average: 25 outlets per school
Rural average: 18 outlets per school
The School Food Trust’s junk food temptation league table, which has revealed just how many fast food outlets there are per UK secondary school, has prompted the Trust to urge schools to ban pupils from leaving the premises during lunchtimes.
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