A national survey has revealed that more than a third of parents let their children snack on chocolate or crisps rather than fruit as they are more convenient - or simply less hassle than resisting requests for unhealthier choices.
The survey shows that more than half of parents believe it’s cheaper and easier for their children to eat less healthy snack options.
The statistics follow claims by the Department of Health that over 500,000 children are putting their livers at risk because of poor eating habits during childhood.
Yet, it still seems that despite the severity of these warnings, parents are struggling to ensure their child eats a healthy, nutritious diet.
The kid’s diet research was commissioned by South African fruit growers to find out about the differences between children’s eating habits at when they are at home versus at school.
A sample of 1,005 parents of school-aged children was asked to answer a series of questions about their children’s diets.
Research found more than a third of parents said they let their children snack on junk food as it’s more convenient - or simply to stop them asking. Some 53 per cent think their child has a better diet at school than at home and 35 per cent of parents say that their children eat fewer than 4 pieces of fruit every week
Emma Williams, a nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, said: “The statistics are a huge concern. It’s the parent’s responsibility to make sure that high fat, high sugary foods are eaten in moderation. As parents, we should be leading by example and providing our children with a healthy balanced diet.”
