Fixing a broken system

A new report, published by the Centre For Young Lives, has called for more support for schools to fix the ‘broken’ school food system and boost children's physical activity in order to tackle issues such as childhood obesity and food insecurity (Eddy et al, 2024).

The report, A country that works for all children and young people, produced in collaboration with the N8 Research Partnership, Child of the North, Health Equity North, comes to a series of conclusions about the lack of proper provision for children to thrive and flourish during their school years. It cites evidence that the health of children and young people in the UK is worsening and that they are being adversely affected by sedentary lifestyles and poor diets. According to the report, around 2.2 million 5–16 year olds do not get 30 minutes of activity a day and that this physical inactivity is costing the UK an estimated £7.4 billion every year.