Jamie Oliver: Government should introduce cookery lessons in schools
Published: May 06, 2020
Dr Peter Carter, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of
Nursing, Professor David Haslam, chair of the National Obesity Forum, and
Steve Iredale, president of the National Association of Head Teachers, also
signed the letter, as well as academics and charity leaders.
Besides the call for compulsory cookery lessons, they note the need for more
sporting role models to promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle to
children.
They write: “We the undersigned appreciate your concern about the health
burden of obesity and the complex issue of how best to tackle this rising
epidemic.
“As a group of charities and leading professionals in the field of
medicine, food, sport, education and cookery, we firmly believe that the
impact of obesity on our health is a very serious problem…
“We feel there’s a great opportunity for the Government and Britain to
take the lead in implementing measures that will have a significant impact
on the future health of our country.”
Prof Stephenson said: “The UK now has the highest rate of obesity in
Europe, with one in three children overweight or obese by the age of nine.
“If these lifestyles don’t change, the UK will have an adult population
suffering with diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, giving an
already cash-strapped NHS a £10 billion a year medical bill.
“We need to act now but we will not win this fight alone. Parents,
schools, healthcare professionals and the Government must take a united
approach in order to combat this obesity crisis.”
Prof Haslam added: “The 2012 Olympics provide a unique opportunity to
improve the nation’s health and reduce the burden of obesity which leads to
diabetes, heart disease, cancer and other conditions, and ultimately
premature death.
“However, sitting in front of the television, cheering our elite athletes
on, while eating crisps and chocolates, drinking sugar-sweetened beverages
is entirely counter-productive.
“National enthusiasm must be accompanied by an improved diet and enhanced
physical activity by the entire population, not just by our Olympians, for a
significant difference to be made to the deteriorating health of the
population.”
Another signatory, Children’s Food Campaign director Charlie Powell,
questioned how children could put into practice what they knew about good
food if they did not have any cooking skills.
“It’s common sense that all children should learn how to cook at school,
so it should be part of the National Curriculum,” he said.
“If the Government is serious about improving children’s health, keeping
cooking in schools is one of the best ways to do it.”
Author and obesity researcher Zoe Harcombe, who has also signed the letter,
said: “To reverse the obesity epidemic we need our fellow humans to be
able to source and prepare real food, not to microwave fake food.
“Food education and cooking skills were traditionally passed down from
one generation to the next. We seek the Prime Minister’s help to restore
them in our future generation.”
Article source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/9248258/Jamie-Oliver-Government-should-introduce-cookery-lessons-in-schools.html
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