Food manufacturers need to take the health of our children more seriously and help stamp out the child obesity epidemic. Simon Muschamp, head of marketing at Pritchitts, a Lakeland Dairies company, says: "Our children are our future and we as food manufacturers must take more responsibility for their health.
"We need to get back to the basics and feed our children good wholesome food. There are now 14 million overweight children in Europe and we need to buck this worrying trend.
"Pritchitts has an enviable environmental stance. We believe in preserving the environment and making it a better place for our children to live. But we need to stop obese children becoming obese adults," says Simon.
Milk in Schools
"Milk has been, and always will be, one of the best snacks. We particularly want to encourage the drinking of milk in schools and work closely with head teachers to educate children about the nutritional importance of milk."
A staggering 18% of 2 to 15-year-olds are now classed as obese, with a quarter of adults in England hitting obesity. "Educating our children now about healthy eating will hopefully pay dividends down the line," says Simon.
Milk and exercise
Low-fat milk has come out tops in research by Loughborough University into the rehydration qualities of various drinks consumed after exercise.
The study investigated the effectiveness of low-fat milk at restoring the body's fluid balance after mild exercise-induced dehydration. The research was important as any fluid deficit incurred during one exercise session can potentially compromise the next session. The research simulated a warm climate and volunteers' hydration levels were analysed after several exercise sessions.
"This study proves milk's qualities as a natural isotonic. Effective rehydration is vital for sports people as dehydration can cause a 10% loss in strength. Maybe our school children and our potential 2012 Olympic athletes should take up the milk challenge to see what changes it could make to their lives!" commented Simon.
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