Healthy Eating and Oral Health

Healthy Eating

For children of secondary school age, healthy eating is important for both mental and physical health and can help with concentration, mood, energy levels and coping with stress. A heathy diet can also help in the maintenance of a healthy weight.

In Hampshire, 30.6% of children start secondary school overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese as a child can be harmful for both physical and mental health, body image and self-esteem. Obesity in childhood is very likely to continue into adolescence and adulthood, becoming a life-long issue.

Peer influence becomes especially important in adolescence and can play a crucial role in shaping young people’s eating behaviours and food preferences. Creating an ethos of healthy eating within a secondary school can help to promote positive behaviours, supporting healthy and wellbeing throughout the school.

National Guidance

Childhood Obesity: a plan for action Chapter 1 and Chapter 2

Standards for School Food in England guidance on the standards for planning and providing food in schools by the Department of Education

School Food and Attainment review by Public Health England

The School Food Plan: 17 actions to transform what children eat in schools and how they learn about food.

Advice and guidance

Education Catering

Hampshire Free School Meals

BEAT Eating Disorders resources

Food Support Offer

A Toolkit for Lunchtimes in Hampshire. Created by Education Catering and the previous Healthy Schools team, but still relevant now.

Teaching Support

Chefs in Schools - a whole school approach to food with resources on food education, models for the school kitchen team to follow, and guidance for staff and governors

Sugar Smart ideas and resources to become a Sugar Smart setting

Food - a fact of life (FFL) - Free resources for teaching young people aged 3-16 years about where food comes from, cooking and healthy eating

Food For Life Schools by the Soil Association has activities schools can do to improve the food environment and support learning

Oral health

Which Foods Cause Tooth Decay? NHS information and links to other dental information

For young people and parents/carers:

The Eatwell Guide explained by the NHS

5 a day and Your Family NHS Choices advice on incorporating fruits and veggies every day

BMI healthy weight calculator

Eating Difficulties information by Hampshire Camhs for parents/carers or for young people