Nanny will tell you what you must eat...

It was announced recently that the School Food Trust, a Government funded body, has recommended that the law be used to prevent pupils leaving school premises at lunch time and buying from local fast-food outlets. The trust has researched areas surrounding a number of schools and counted types and numbers of outlets near the schools.

Is this yet another example of parents falling down on their duties to encourage their offspring to eat and exercise towards a healthy life style? In a survey of 1000 parents, the vast majority were acquiescent. But what of the minority who wish to eat with the family in the evening, and would prefer a sandwich type lunch. Are lunch boxes to be allowed? Will they be searched? What of contraband? What of parents, as in South Yorkshire in 2006, who insist on feeding illicit substances like fish and chips through the school fence?

There are other problems. Who will supervise the large number of pupils eating on school premises, both inside and outside? And who will face the extra cost? (In our local comprehensive in the 1970s, the lunch hour was suddenly shortened to about 40 minutes. When we asked, it emerged that there had been a stabbing somewhere in the playground in the free time after lunch, so pupils were "rushed" back to lessons so that it was not repeated.)

Nanny is taking over more of life, perhaps well-meaningly, and it may have some affect on obesity and later ill health, but there are still evenings and week-ends...(There are 7 x 3 meals in the week, apart from nibbles in between , and Nanny is thinking of controlling 5 x 1 only.)

Rather than control, could there not be education about healthy living and incentives and disincentives? Self discipline is always better than external discipline which is resented. The problem is that the present Government, perhaps having no ideas, always falls back on law and coercion.