Longer school lunch to fight flab
CHILDREN could get longer school lunch-breaks in a bid to tackle obesity.
By extending breaks to at least 45 minutes, councillors in Southampton, where one in 10 five-year-olds and a quarter of adults are obese, hope children will spend more time exercising.
They also plan to introduce basic cookery lessons in primary schools after being told that obesity costs the city £147million a year – a sum that could rise to £217million in five years.
But the plans have caused some concern.
Nick Seaton, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: “Extended play seems a strange way to improve health in young children. Teachers should have as much academic teaching time as possible.”
The city council will rule on the proposal for longer break times within the next two months.