A charity has warned that schoolchildren should no longer be served ham sandwiches and sausage rolls due to the cancer risk posed by processed and ultra-processed meat. A report by The Food Foundation, based on an analysis of NHS diet surveys, found that over a third of meat eaten by children, such as ham, chicken nuggets, and sausages, falls into these two categories.
According to the organisation, “meat menus” at school and takeaways nearby are contributing to youngsters missing out on a plants and fibre-rich diet, as well as unprocessed meat products like chicken breast and lean beef, which are healthier, reports The Times. The report found that ham is the top meat dish served in schools and education institutions, followed by sausages, chicken/turkey, bolognese sauce and sausage rolls.
Processed food refers to any food or drink that has been changed in some way during its production or preparation.
These can include a wide variety additions or processes, some of which make them safer, like pasteurising milk to remove harmful bacteria. Other processes include pressing seeds to make oil, adding preservatives to make food last longer, and things to enhance the taste, like sweeteners and salt.
Ultraprocessed foods, sometimes referred to as UPFs go through more changes and “often include ingredients you would not usually have at home, such as preservatives, sweeteners and emulsifiers”, the health service explains.
But experts warn that red meat and processed meat are linked to colorectal cancer and other health issues.
Research has linked three meat-related chemicals, found either naturally within them or added during cooking or processing, to an elevated risk of bowel cancer, according to Cancer Research UK.
The Food Foundation’s report found that children are eating proportionately more processed meat than grown ups and the charity called on the government to ensure that youngsters are provided with more balanced menus at school.
Rebecca Tobi, a manager at the foundation, told The Times that the UK’s food system is “rigged against parents trying to feed their families healthy foods, with processed meat an affordable and all too available option when eating out of the home”.
She added: “As a nation we are eating too much processed meat, despite a very strong body of evidence linking it to a host of chronic diseases.”
Ms Tobi says it’s “particularly worrying to see children eating such a high proportion of processed meat, with schools and restaurants often serving up very meaty menus”.
“Businesses and policymakers must work together for people and planet to ensure that healthier and more sustainable plant-rich options are more available and, crucially, more affordable to better support families.”
Dr Panagiota Mitrou, a director at World Cancer Research Fund, told the outlet that the evidence is clear that “eating high amounts of red meat and any amount of processed meat are both causes of colorectal cancer”, adding: “We encourage people to limit consumption to no more than about three portions per week.”
“The UK government must ensure that the risks of red and processed meat are reflected in strong policies for healthy people and planet, starting with robust rules to limit processed meat in schools,” he said.
A Government spokesperson said: “Through our Plan for Change, this government is determined to give every child the best start in life, which includes creating the healthiest generation of children in our history.
“That is why we are engaging with stakeholders on the School Food Standards to ensure that schools provide children with healthy food and drink options.
“More widely, we are urgently tackling the childhood obesity crisis by shifting our focus from treatment to prevention, including by limiting school children’s access to fast food.”
