British obesity epidemic leads to heart disease in children as young as 5.

A recent study carried out by Oxford academics on nearly 50000 5-15 year olds in Great Britain came to some very shocking and indeed worrying findings regarding the health of our children.

The study concluded that children as young as 5 are suffering from heart damage as a result of obesity, a problem more commonly thought to be associated with much older generations. The obese children that were assessed were found to have significantly enlarged hearts, have a 40% higher blood pressure, and have cholesterol levels 9X higher than their healthy peers. This means that obese children are much more likely to develop severe health problems early on in life as a result of their weight, and it is predicted that, unless a change in lifestyle is implemented immediately, obese children have a 40% increased likelihood of dying from a heart attack or stroke as adults.

Currently in Great Britain, just under 1 in 10 5 year olds and 1/5^th of all 11 year olds are classified as obese, according to NHS records. These shocking statistics have been commented upon by researcher of the study, Dr. Matthew Thompson, stating ‘It’s almost like a ticking time bomb of damage going on in their hearts and blood vessels… Most of the damage that happens in kids will still be there in adults. But it can be reversed-it’s just difficult because you’re talking about changing lifestyles.’ From this data, and with Britain currently having the highest rate of obesity in Europe, it is clear that change is needed IMMEDIATELY to reverse this childhood obesity epidemic, and prevent these fears for our children’s future health becoming a reality.

Save the Children find shocking numbers of children in the UK are living in poverty

A survey carried out by children’s charity, Save the Children, has found shocking numbers of children in the UK are living in poverty, urging the government to take drastic action to reverse the statistics.

The Survey was carried out on more than 1500 children aged 8-16 in the UK, and over 5000 parents that fall into the lowest income group, and the results have made it very clear that children too are shockingly being affected by the strain of the recession. 61% of the parents assessed admitted that, due to the recession, they have had to cut back dramatically on family food provisions, with 19% of parents noting that their children have at times had to go without basic requirements, such as new shoes, due to their financial strain. 58% of the children assessed were aware of their parent’s financial struggle, and 43% strongly agreed that their parents had recently cut back on food.

The results of Save the Children’s survey support the figures given by the Institute of Fiscal studies, claiming that 3.5 million children in the UK are currently living in poverty, and this figure is set to steeply increase. It is clear from these shocking figures that drastic action is required immediately to ensure that our children have the best possible start to life.

                                   

Save the children are urging the government to intervene in the issue, indicating that the UK minimum wage for adults is nowhere near enough to support a family, and are calling for employers to pay a ‘living wage’ to ensure that every family has enough to provide at least the basic things, such as food, required to reasonably live off. In addition, it is being suggested that the government should aim to truly help in eradicating this problem in the UK by funding 80% of childcare costs for the lowest income group to ensure that the strains of childcare do not complicate work and income.

As well as strongly urging government intervention, Save the Children have started their own fight against UK child poverty. The charity aims to raise £500 000 to help boost education opportunities for children of the lowest income groups, and provide basic essentials, such as furniture, ovens, and toys to their families to ease financial strain and eradicate these shocking figures of childhood poverty.

Gove Vs. Oliver: The School Dinner Reform Debate

The levels of health in our children’s school dinners have been at the forefront of concerns for education reform this month, with education secretary, Michael Gove’s, proposal of an inquiry into school dinners in the United Kingdom. Gove announced his plans to carry out the inquiry to assess the true state of school dinners in the United Kingdom amidst claims that school dinners were falling well below government food standards for health.

The announcement of this report, however, has not been entirely well received, many believing that a government investigation is pointless and costly, and will not actually provoke any action to be taken. One very vocal opposition to the report is celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, quoted in the Daily Mail recently condemning the proposal, stating “now is not the time for more costly reports. Now is the time for action.” For Oliver, the importance of our children’s health being maintained through healthy eating is no new thing, shown through his televised series ‘Jamie’s School Dinner’ on Channel 4 in 2005, sparking a nationwide campaign, ‘Feed Me Better,’ to address the childhood obesity problem in the United Kingdom, and stress the need to action to be taken on food health standards in schools.

Figures found by recent investigations by the nutrition standards agency speak for themselves on how far we still need to go to improving the standards of our children’s diet. It is claimed that only 12% of primary schools in the United Kingdom provide each pupil with fruit and vegetables daily, with only 58% of primary schools meeting the nutrition standards for vegetable and salad provisions, and only 12% meeting the minimum requirement for fruit. With the United Kingdom having the highest rate of obesity in Europe, and 1/3 of our children being overweight by the age of 9, it is clear that this is a problem that needs addressing immediately.

Although we cannot say whether or not Gove’s report will be able to help in addressing the problem, we agree with Jamie Oliver that immediate action is paramount- and here’s where KiddiChef come in to help! You may not be able to control the government’s food standard policy in your child’s primary school, but by investing in KiddiChef’s daily meal plan, you can invest greatly in your child’s health at home. KiddiChef is aimed at children between the ages of 6 months to 10 years, and provides children with nourishing, natural and nutritious meals, that not only benefit them with their tasty, healthy ingredients, but also their busy parents, as these daily deliveries take the stress out of cooking! The KiddiChef meal plans are diverse, keeping meal time fun and interesting, and are devised by nutrition experts to ensure that your child is getting the best possible nutritious diet, and indeed the best possible start to life. These daily healthy meals from KiddiChef will not only prevent this childhood obesity problem in the United Kingdom spreading into an epidemic, but are also a fun way to educate your child on nutrition: a skill that they can take with them through life. So while the government take their time deliberating the best way to go about assessing food standards in your child’s primary school, take matters into your own hands by joining the KiddiChef craze and ensure that your little one’s health is given the best possible start in life.

Welcome to the Kiddichef blog!

KiddiChef aims to provide parents with an easy and exciting way to give their children fresh and nutritious meals along with a food education, creating a new, healthy lifestyle and generation.

Currently in the UK, we have the highest rate of obesity in Europe, with 1 in 3 children either overweight or obese by the age of 9.

If lifestyles don't change, then half of the UK population will be obese by 2030 and we will have a generation suffering with heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

This is why there is a huge demand for a concept like KiddiChef, as it aims to prevent this statistic becoming a reality by keeping children excited and interested in their food.

KiddiChef creates freshly prepared on-the-day meals for 6 month - 10 years olds using only the freshest ingredients without any additives or preservatives, rather than jarred food with a 12-month shelf life.

The meals, which have been carefully selected by nutrition experts, will change with seasonal vegetables and food themes from around the world.

They will also be the recommended portion sizes for children, as many parents are unaware of how much food they are actually giving to their young children, which plays a key role in their high consumption of food and can lead to obesity.

It can take a child up to ten times to try something new, however with KiddiChef the vitamin-packed fruit and vegetables are hidden in a delicious and convenient meal.

This unique service is ideal for modern, working parents and forward-thinking nurseries that want to provide children with nourishing, natural and nutritious meals - without the time-consuming, hassle and stress.

KiddiChef’s mission is to make mealtime a whole learning experience through tastes, packaging and online learning.

The KiddiChef website includes recipes, activities and educational exercises.

KiddiChef wants to rejuvenate children’s palettes by giving them the best possible foods at an early age.

Exciting partners, including nutritionists, paediatricians and doctors, are coming on board, fitting in well with KiddiChef’s ethos and standards.

KiddiChef’s goal is to be included in the government’s on-going healthy eating plan as both share the same aims and beliefs.