UK kids' real five-a-day

10:10 24 November 2011

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A unique survey into secondary school childrenÂ’s views on their own diet has revealed interesting findings that suggest why a third are overweight and obese.

The survey of 2,000 11- to 16-year-olds has been released by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and helps to give a unique insight into their daily diet.

Based on the results, the charity calculates a childÂ’s typical daily diet includes one packet of crisps, one chocolate bar, one fizzy drink and one energy drink.

That means kids are consuming 22 teaspoons of sugar (90g), more fat than a cheeseburger, and almost a third of their daily calorie intake from snacks alone.

One in ten children asked also admitted they have already eaten sweets, pastries, chocolate or crisps before school has even started.

To launch their Food4Thought campaign the BHF is placing healthy vending machines in thirty schools across the UK, to encourage school pupils to eat healthier snacks during the school day.

The pupils will play a key role in deciding the products sold in vending machines, with the healthiest school winning a prize at the end of the school year.

The BHF has a range of information available to help children lead a healthier lifestyle. Visit bhf.org.uk/junkfood for more information.