Latest news with #RebeccaTobi
The Independent
29-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Schools urged to stop serving ham due to bowel cancer risk
Schools should stop serving sausage rolls and ham sandwiches due to their 'concerning' link with bowel cancer, a report has warned. The Food Foundation charity said schools should axe processed meat after revealing over a third (36 per cent) of meat eaten by children in the UK is processed. Ham is the most common meat used in school lunches, followed by sausages and sausage rolls at number five, according to the report. 'The current regulations for schools to serve meat three days a week should be relaxed,' the report, based on NHS diet surveys, warned. 'Guidance should recommend removing or limiting the amount of processed meat being served to schoolchildren.' Processed meat is meat that has been preserved by smoking, curing, salting or adding preservatives. This includes sausages, bacon and ham, as well as chicken nuggets. The charity said the amount of this kind of food eaten by Britain's youngsters was 'concerning' due to a greater risk of developing a number of chronic diseases including bowel cancer. Rebecca Tobi, a manager at the foundation, told The Times: 'The UK's food system is rigged against parents trying to feed their families healthy foods, with processed meat an affordable and all too available option when eating out of the home. 'As a nation we are eating too much processed meat, despite a very strong body of evidence linking it to a host of chronic diseases.' Early onset bowel cancer in those aged 25 to 49 is increasing globally, but England is among the countries with the biggest rise, averaging a 3.6 per cent increase every year, Cancer Research UK experts said. Last year, Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: 'A cancer diagnosis at any age has a huge impact on patients and their families. 'While it's important to note that rates in younger adults are still very low compared to people over 50, we need to understand what's causing this trend in younger people.' Symptoms include changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you, according to the NHS. Blood in your poo, which may look red or black, as well as tummy pain, a lump in your tummy, bloating and losing weight without trying are symptoms.
Times
29-05-2025
- Health
- Times
Schools ‘must expel ham from canteens' due to bowel cancer risk
Schools should stop serving sausage rolls and ham sandwiches because they increase the risk of diseases including cancer, a report has warned. Analysis by The Food Foundation found more than a third of meat eaten by children was processed or ultraprocessed — such as ham, sausages and chicken nuggets. The charity blamed the 'meaty menus' found in schools and at nearby takeaways for preventing children eating meals rich in plants and fibre or healthier, unprocessed meat products such as lean beef and chicken breast. Ham is the most common meat used in school lunches, followed by sausages, with sausage rolls at number five. The report found that 9 per cent of the meat eaten by children younger than 18 came from the toppings on pizzas. Processed meat is preserved through salting or the addition of chemical preservatives. Often the products, which include hot dogs and chicken burgers, undergo extensive industrial processing resulting in a high level of additives, artificial flavours and colourings. These products have been proven to increase the risk of bowel cancer. They can also put children at greater risk of developing conditions including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. • The report, based on an analysis of NHS diet surveys filled in by thousands of people, found that children ate proportionately more processed meat than adults. It called for government action to ensure that schools offered healthier alternatives at lunchtime. Rebecca Tobi, a manager at the foundation, said: 'The UK's food system is rigged against parents trying to feed their families healthy foods, with processed meat an affordable and all too available option when eating out of the home. As a nation we are eating too much processed meat, despite a very strong body of evidence linking it to a host of chronic diseases. 'It is particularly worrying to see children eating such a high proportion of processed meat, with schools and restaurants often serving up very meaty menus. Businesses and policymakers must work together for people and planet to ensure that healthier and more sustainable plant-rich options are more available and, crucially, more affordable to better support families.' Dr Panagiota Mitrou, a director at World Cancer Research Fund, said: 'The evidence is clear: eating high amounts of red meat and any amount of processed meat are both causes of colorectal cancer. We encourage people to limit consumption to no more than about three portions per week. 'The UK government must ensure that the risks of red and processed meat are reflected in strong policies for healthy people and planet, starting with robust rules to limit processed meat in schools.'
The Guardian
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Relax guidance for meat three times a week in English schools, says charity
Guidance urging schools in England to serve children meat at least three times a week should be overhauled in order to increase the eating of vegetables and legumes, a leading charity has said. A report published by the Food Foundation has found that children eat proportionally more processed meat than adults, with more than a third (36%) of meat eaten by children coming from processed meat such as bacon, ham, and sausages, compared with 29% of adults. The study also found that 80% of the most commonly eaten meat dishes in schools and educational institutions are either processed or red meat. According to current government guidance, schools should provide a portion of meat or poultry for at least three days a week in school meals, which is part of the wider school food standards designed to ensure children have a balanced diet. However, the Food Foundation is calling for the requirement to be relaxed, and that increased consumption of fruit, vegetables, and legumes should be encouraged through a specific strategy. The charity is also calling for the strengthening of government procurement rules for schools and other public spaces where food is served, through a review of government guidelines. Rebecca Tobi of the Food Foundation, said: 'It's worrying that children are eating so much processed meat, especially in schools, where meals should be nourishing. 'The government should review the Government Buying Standards for Food and School Food Standards to ensure they align with the latest health and sustainability recommendations. This includes relaxing the rule requiring schools to serve meat three times a week and reducing the amount of processed meat served. 'This would let caterers offer more beans, pulses, wholegrains, and vegetables – improving health and cutting costs. Current policies don't support children's long-term health or British farmers, who face unfair competition from lower-standard imported processed meat.' The report also found that four-fifths of the most commonly eaten meat-containing dishes from fast-food outlets are likely to be processed and/or highly processed meat, while sausages and bacon are two of the five most commonly eaten dishes in casual dining restaurant chains. Processed meats, which can be high in salt and saturated fat, have been classified as carcinogenic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Cancer Research UK estimates that of the 42,000 new cases of bowel cancer that occur every year in the UK, 13% are caused by eating too much processed meat. Dale Vince, a green energy industrialist and campaigner, said: 'This report exposes the shocking fact that 80% of meat served in schools is either processed or is red meat, both of which are classified as carcinogenic by the WHO. Who in their right mind would do such a thing? Sign up to Headlines UK Get the day's headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion 'One of the most powerful things we can do for our health and that of our children is to reduce the consumption of meat. That's a fact. The science is clear, the benefits are obvious. The law is wrong.' A government spokesperson said: 'Through our plan for change, this government is determined to give every child the best start in life, which includes creating the healthiest generation of children in our history. 'That is why we are engaging with stakeholders on the School Food Standards to ensure that schools provide children with healthy food and drink options. 'More widely, we are urgently tackling the childhood obesity crisis by shifting our focus from treatment to prevention, including by limiting schoolchildren's access to fast food.'
