Police in the Hampshire village of Whitchurch have called for a ban on fizzy drinks sold to under 16′s on Friday nights – claiming the intake of high-sugar, high-caffeine drinks results in youngsters being hyperactive and rowdy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9456000/9456414.stm

Although the average 500ml bottle of softdrink contains over 200 calories (almost 11 teaspoons) of ‘empty’ sugar, that is, instant yet nutrient-free energy – it’s the additives like E numbers that many people believe are linked to hyperactivity. The Food Standards Agency advise parents who are concerned about their child’s hyperactivity to consider avoiding many nasty chemicals that are found in most fizzy drinks, including the sugar-free/diet versions.

For further reading see:

http://www.food.gov.uk/safereating/chemsafe/additivesbranch/colours/hyper/

and Action on Additives has a search facility for foods, drinks and medicines that contain additives:

http://www.actiononadditives.com/Home/

Finally, a great book by the Australian Sue Dengate called ‘Fed Up’ is recommended.

Junk food diets are an increasingly big problem in the UK and many children are being introduced to a diet high in nasty fats, sugar and salt at an alarmingly early age. Last month I took part in filming a programme for BBC3 called Fast Food Baby, a programme due to start mid-April. I gave advice to a very motivated mum who was keen to stop her and her son’s fast food habit, but just didn’t know where to start. Look out for me on http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010y763

Just when you thought being a parent couldn’t be any more difficult….weaning guidelines were surely put on this earth to baffle and stress you entirely. Your Health Visitor says one thing, GP says something else, internet forums and mum’s groups are awash with different advice, and the latest best-selling parenting books don’t agree either.

The weaning debate

The current debate lies in the ideal age of the baby to introduce food. All babies only need milk for the first few months of their lives. Many years ago, babies were introduced food very early, but in 2003 the Department of Health issued a statement recommending weaning to start only at 6 months of age. Read more

The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) published in February 2011 the first evidence-based guideline on the diagnosis and assessment of food allergy in children and young people. The guideline highlights the dangers of using alternative testing methods such as vega tests, applied kinesiology and hair analysis and does not recommend these tests at all.

Food allergies are becoming increasingly common in children in Read more

Hello and welcome to the Blossom blog, a place for the latest news, reviews, recipes and reliable information on children’s nutrition, written by a qualified paediatric dietitian.

The internet can sometimes be more confusing than helpful and I often find that parents are confused about nutrition after spending hours searching. Search no further! This website hopes to be a one-stop-shop for quality nutrition information. Here you will also be able to use the free healthy weight checker to assess your child’s Body Mass Index, and access useful websites that are vetted by a professional in the know.

Please feel free to email me with any nutrition queries and I will post answers on the site in the FAQ section. I run a private practice in Cheshire and am about to start some weaning groups and toddler food fun sessions – get in touch if you would like to know more.

Best wishes, Hayley