Scottish obesity organisation calls for improvements to school meals

Obesity Action Scotland (OAS) is calling on local government election candidates to “transform” school meals to cut down child obesity.

Two-thirds of primary school pupils in Scotland eat school meals and OAS said this provided a "unique opportunity" to drive dietary change.

According to the group’s report, children are being offered puddings high in sugar and menus regularly offer processed foods.

It found that Scottish primary schools serve puddings more often that soup and these puddings have an average of 14g of sugar.

The OAS is asking that election candidates commit to change school meals “from a feeding culture to an eating culture”.

The organisation said it wanted unprocessed or "minimally processed" foods used wherever possible and vegetables, soup and salads prioritised over puddings.

Lorraine Tulloch, programme lead of Obesity Action Scotland, commented: “Change is possible and we have highlighted areas where that change is starting to happen, but more action is needed and greater priority and attention needs to be given to this subject to ensure we offer all our children the best start in life.”