Calls for lunchtime lock-in at schools

Shocking new research into schoolchildren's lunch habits adds to concerns over obesity Denis Campbell and Anushka Asthana Sunday July 6, 2008 The Observer A gaggle of schoolchildren at the chip shop is a common scene in Britain's high streets - but it may not be for much longer. The children's minister, Kevin Brennan, has called for secondary pupils under the age of 16 to be locked in school grounds at lunchtime to stop them from stocking up on sweets, fizzy drinks and takeaways. The proposal comes as damning new research reveals the extent to which children pass through school gates to buy large quantities of food that is high in fat and sugar. Some pupils left school to buy junk food more than 11 times a week. With soaring numbers of children now dangerously overweight, Brennan said one answer was to keep millions of pupils... [read full story]