Last updated 11:50, Wednesday, 08 October 2008

ACCORDING to research included in a report from the Department of Health, parents are “incapable” of cooking and do not recognise that their children are overweight.

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Titbits: Cummersdale School pupils have been tempted by some of the goodies which Andrew Burton, head chef at Rothay Garden Hotel in Grasmere has been rustling up for them

It says that a lack of knowledge, confidence and skill are the main barriers which stop adults cooking from scratch.

Parents underestimate how much unhealthy food and convenience food they buy, as well as overestimating the amount of physical activity their children do.

Families also use snacks as rewards with some parents of older children worrying about not feeding them enough and risks of eating disorders including anorexia.

It’s an issue currently being highlighted by TV chef Jamie Oliver, who has declared war on unhealthy Rotherham with his new series: Jamie’s Ministry of Food.

Last week, Jamie, 32, tried to educate a mum-of-two who fed her kids nothing but takeaways by showing her how to make pancakes, meatballs and cook salmon.

The mum could not switch on her cooker, let alone prepare a meal.

Jamie now wants to teach one set of people how to cook who will each then pass on their skills to another two, and another two to spread the recipes.

It’s a lesson being taken into Cumbria’s classrooms with more and more pupils being taught about the importance of healthy eating.

Earlier this year it was revealed that one in 10 children starting school in Cumbria is clinically obese.

By the time they are in year six – aged 10 or 11 – that figure will have risen to 15.5 per cent.

Children may have an unhealthy diet at home but schools are doing their best to make sure youngsters eat healthily and remain active.

This week, Cummersdale School had a visit from chef Andrew Burton of Grasmere’s Rothay Garden Hotel.

Headteacher Gareth Jones said: “One of our teaching assistants went on a Food in Schools course and it stemmed from there.

“We invited Andrew into school to come and cook for us. He talked to the children about being a chef.

“He cooked various recipes with the children including Cumberland Sausage and apple rolls, goats cheese and fresh herb tortellini and chocolate pasta.

“The children loved it and we bought the ingredients locally so they know where they come from.

“We got the sausage from the Orton Grange farm shop and some of the other meat from Top Deal Meats in Denton Holme. The lamb came from a farm in Unthank and we got cheese from Lakeland Cheese at Aspatria.

“Yesterday morning we had a big chop involving the whole school and we made a soup and sausage casserole.

“Cummersdale School has healthy schools status and we make sure all of our meals are nutritionally balanced.”

Some Cumbrian parents are being encouraged to get involved with preparing meals for their children. Many schools now have their own allotments so children can grow their own vegetables.

Last week, parents at St James C of E Junior School in Whitehaven were invited into school to see what their children ate at lunchtime.

Headteacher Catherine Winzor, said it was a chance for parents to learn what the school was doing to help keep children healthy.

She said: “We had typical British dinners like roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, and hot pots. We also had world dishes, like curry or lasagne. And we will also have our usual meals like jacket potatoes.

“The parents have been really impressed. There are a range of prices for school meals. Ours are at the top of the range. The quality and choice on offer is worth it.

“Since Jamie Oliver’s campaign nationally the number having school dinners is 48 per cent. In our school it is 70 per cent.”

Healthy eating in the workplace is also encouraged.

Many companies and schools have got rid of their fizzy drinks and snack machines and have replaced them with water coolers and fresh fruit baskets.

In addition there is weight management for people who are overweight to encourage them to change their lifestyle and local leaders are making sure play spaces are planned into new housing developments.

Local health chiefs will be given a toolkit “Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: A Toolkit for Developing Local Strategies” to help them tackle obesity and encourage people to live healthier lives.

Vivien Prendiville, public health nutritionist at Cumbria Primary Care Trust (PCT) said: “We are hoping to bring the cost of tackling obesity down so money can be spent on other things.

“Obesity is certainly one of the major issues facing the PCT, as well as all the physical health problems it brings, it is the bullying and emotional well-being and about feeling good.

“The figures are timely as we are developing a healthy weight strategy – Food and Fitness in Cumbrian Communities.”

Mrs Prendiville said the PCT had four main priorities when it came to tackling obesity. Firstly, children and promoting a healthy weight and getting children into the habit of eating five portions of fruit or vegetables a day before they start school.

One Cumbrian company which is trying to help is Carr’s Breadmaker – part of Carr’s Flour which has devised a breadmaking education module for primary school teachers.

Jan Clark, of Cumbria Healthy Eating, described the module as a “splendid way of getting younger children to think about what goes into the food they eat”.

PMcClounie@cngroup.co.uk