New app will help parents improve children’s diet

The government has launched a new campaign to help parents improve their children’s diet. 

The campaign follows a record rise in obesity amongst children since the start of the pandemic, with the latest data highlighting that one in four of children in Reception are overweight or obese, this rises to 4 in 10 in Year 6. 

A new survey conducted with Netmums also revealed that 6 in 10 parents give their children more sugary snacks than before the pandemic. 

In a bid to tackle this, families can use the new app to scan the product barcodes from their shop and the app will suggest healthier alternatives to help them make an easy swap next time they shop. 

The app uses a ‘Good Choice’ badge to help signpost people to healthier food and drinks in line with the government’s dietary recommendations for added sugar, saturated fat, and salt.

Public Health Minister Maggie Throup said: ‘We know that families have felt a lot of pressure throughout the pandemic which has drastically changed habits and routines

‘The new year is a good time for making resolutions, not just for ourselves, but for our families. Finding ways to improve their health is one of the best resolutions any of us could make.

‘By downloading the free NHS Food Scanner App, families can swap out foods from the weekly shop for healthier alternatives and avoid items high in salt, sugar and saturated fat.’

Annie O’Leary, Netmums Editorial Director added: ‘That two-thirds of parents find they’re giving kids more treats as snacks than pre-pandemic doesn’t surprise me in the slightest – we all comfort ate our way through the pandemic and I know my kids ate far more treats than usual.

‘But thank heavens there’s now something to help get us all back on track. And that it’s from the gold standard in terms of trustworthiness, the NHS, hopefully, means millions of families will be downloading it and using it ASAP.

‘Shopping for snacks can be an absolute minefield for busy parents, so thank you for coming to the rescue yet again, NHS.’

The NHS Food Scanner App provides parents with the ideal hack to improve their children’s health in 2022. The free App can be downloaded or search ‘Food Scanner App’.