This QRM is a one day event organised jointly with the North East Obesity Forum.
Childhood obesity is a longstanding concern. Attempts to reduce rising prevalence have led to many intervention projects. Government intervention can be seen in the re-introduction of nutritional standards to school meals previously removed in the 1980s. However, the effectiveness of this intervention remains unknown, and several projects are addressing this issue. Recent legal changes which free academies from providing meals based on nutritional standards raise concerns over food quality. Alongside this, the school fringe is an area of competition from fast food and convenience outlets which can contribute significantly to student’s dietary intake.