Government app will scan barcodes in push to get families buying healthier food
A new feature on the NHS Food Scanner app will scan selected food items and suggest healthier alternatives to improve diets.
An updated Government app will use barcodes to encourage families to switch to healthier food as part of heightened efforts to tackle Britain’s child obesity crisis.
The new feature, announced on Monday as part of the Better Health campaign, will scan selected shopping items and suggest alternatives with less saturated fat, sugar or salt.
Families using the NHS Food Scanner app will also be shown a “Good Choice” badge for items which could help improve their diet, the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.
It follows a record rise in obesity among 10 to 11-year-olds, with statistics revealing parents have been giving more unhealthy snacks to their children since the start of the pandemic.
Latest data suggests one in four children of reception school age are overweight or obese and this rises to four in 10 in Year 6, according to the DHSC.
A new survey conducted jointly by the department and Netmums, a UK parenting website, suggests nearly six in 10 parents are feeding their children more sugary or fatty food since coronavirus struck.
Girls Aloud singer, Nadine Coyle, who has backed the campaign alongside dietician Dr Linia Patel, said: “As a busy working mum, I find it hard to say no to my kid’s demands and often give in to snack pressure – even though I know it’s not that good for them.
“I had no idea some foods were so high in sugar, saturated fat and salt – so it’s great that the app gives you alternatives.”
Public health minister, Maggie Throup, recognised the “pressure” faced by families throughout the pandemic and said dietary habits had “drastically changed” as a result.
“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,” she said.
Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at the DHSC said advertisements promoting unhealthy food to children were contributing to the problem.
“It’s not surprising that parents say they’ve often found it hard to resist pestering from their children for more unhealthy snacks, and that is why the NHS Food Scanner App is a great tool to help families make quick and easy healthier swaps,” Dr Tedstone said.
“It’s so important that children reduce the amount of sugary, fatty and salty foods they eat to help them stay healthy and reduce the risk of health problems such as diabetes and tooth decay.”
