A BATTLE to improve school meals and tackle child obesity is being waged by a Yorkshire MP.
Wakefield MP Mary Creagh today will be discussing the Children's Food Bill at a Unison-sponsored event at the Grand Hotel in Brighton.
She introduced the Bill in June as a Private Members Bill to improve children's diet.
It proposes:
* Minimum nutritional standards for all school meals.
* Taking fizzy drinks and sugary snacks out of school vending machines.
* Restrictions on the advertising and marketing of junk food to children.
* School lessons on food and farming for children.
* A new duty on the Department of Health to promote healthy eating to children.
Ms Creagh, whose Wakefield constituency includes Denby Dale and Kirkburton, said: "My Children's Food Bill would extend nutritional standards beyond school lunches to all meals including breakfast and tea clubs.
"Improving school dinners is an important step, but if a child can take their lunch money to a school vending machine and buy sweets and fizzy drinks instead, the problem of obesity will not be solved."
Ms Creagh said she was concerned about advertisers treating children as consumers.
Parents were tired of being pestered by their children to buy unhealthy sugary foods at supermarkets because they recognised Bart Simpson or Shrek on the packet.
"Schools are there to develop children's minds and introduce them to the wonders of the world around them," she added.
"We must not forget their bodies as their minds will not focus without decent food."
The Bill will be launched on October 12 in the House of Commons. The Second Reading is on October 28.
