03 Jan 2017 --- Public Health England (PHE) has launched a new Change4Life campaign with the slogan “100 calorie snacks, two a day max,” which aims to encourage parents to choose healthier snacks than the ones they currently buy for their children. Selected UK supermarkets have announced their support for the campaign, while health pressure group Action on Sugar calls for more stringent action, pointing to the responsibility of food and beverage manufacturers to help prevent the overconsumption of sugar.


On average, children consume at least three unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks a day, with around a third consuming four or more. The overall result is that children consume three times more sugar than is recommended, leading to obesity and dental decay, PHE reports.

“The true extent of children’s snacking habits is greater than the odd biscuit or chocolate bar. Children are having unhealthy snacks throughout the day and parents have told us they’re concerned,” says Dr. Alison Tedstone, Chief Nutritionist at PHE. “To make it easier for busy families, we’ve developed a simple rule of thumb to help them move towards healthier snacking – look for 100 calories snacks, two a day max.”

The “100 calorie snacks, two a day max” tip applies to all snacks apart from fruit and vegetables, as children should also be encouraged to eat a variety of these to achieve their “5 A Day.”

PHE’s Change4Life “Food Scanner” app also shows parents how many calories, sugar, salt and saturated fat is in their food to help make healthier choices easier. It can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.

PHE reports that parents can also get money-off vouchers from Change4Life to help them try healthier snack options, including malt loaf, lower-sugar fromage frais and drinks with no added sugar.

Selected supermarkets are supporting the campaign: Both Tesco and Co-op have announced that they will provide healthy snacking products, to make it easier for customers to make healthier choices on the go.
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