Stakeholders across Scotland are invited to support the development of Public Health Scotland’s new strategy for 2025-2035.
As Scotland’s national public health body, we work to protect, improve, and sustain the health of Scotland’s people. We provide leadership for population health protection and improvement, supply trusted and evidence-informed advice, curate Scotland’s health data, and collaborate across all sectors turning policy into action.
Our vision remains simple but ambitious: a Scotland where everybody thrives. Within the next ten years, our aim is to boost average life expectancy by at least a year and reduce inequalities in life expectancy.
Scotland’s Population Health and Service Renewal Frameworks provide the ambition and direction for how Scotland will achieve this, through the core principles of preventing ill health, improving access and strengthening service quality.
Our strategy will define our role: what we will do and how we will lead and work with partners to deliver these plans for Scotland’s health.
We invite stakeholders from across Scotland to contribute their views to shape our strategy and to help us understand how we can achieve these goals in collaboration with partners.
We will proactively contact and engage with a diverse range of stakeholders based on Shaping our Strategy, however we would also like to hear from other individuals and organisations.
To support this process, several questions are provided. The closing date for submissions is Friday 29 August 2025. Feedback should be emailed to phs.strategicdevelopment@phs.scot.
These submissions will inform our strategy which we will publish later this year.
Find more information, including how to submit a consultation response, by viewing Shaping our Strategy.
It’s set to be a scorcher over much of Scotland this weekend If you’re planning to be outdoors follow our sun safety tips:
Taps aff? Slap the sun cream on!
Don’t be stingy, slather on a minimum of SPF 30 (but SPF 50 is even better!) over any exposed skin.
Hydrate, hydrate, HYDRATE!
Don’t wait till your gaspin’. Drink regularly throughout the day – water and diluted juice are good choices, but ice poles and ice lollies count too. It might be tempting to crack out the beers when it is hot, but remember alcohol is a diuretic meaning it can cause dehydration. Alternate any alcoholic drinks with water or just juice.
Hide during the hottest temperatures
The sun is at it’s sassiest between 11am and 3pm and UV levels are at their highest. Try to keep in the shade as much as possible during these times.
Cover up those pasty bits!
You might want to shed some clothing when it’s roastin’, but your skin will thank you if it’s kept covered up. Think loose, cool fabrics like cotton, your fave pair of sunnies , and a big hat to keep the lugs, face and neck protected.
Mind those that need some extra help
Wee tots shouldn’t be in any direct sunlight for any length of time. Babies and bairns can get overheated quickly, so keep a close eye and make sure they are dressed properly for the hot weather.
Keep a check on the auld yins and anyone who has a long-term medical condition too
For more guidance and advice on how to stay safe in hot weather check out our page on #NHSinform
At its core, The People’s Dispensary features a digitised and transcribed collection of 18th century case notes of the Edinburgh Public Dispensary from its foundation in 1776. Located in Edinburgh’s Old Town, it provided free diagnosis and medicines to the city’s sick. Users of the website will be able to search these digitised and transcribed records which feature fascinating details about the diseases, treatments and experiences of poor patients in 1700s Edinburgh.
The digitised and transcribed 18th century patient case notes feature over 10,000 pages of patient records. It is a unique resource as the only surviving collection of 18th century dispensary patient case notes in Britain and contains 1,372 patients, 174 medical practitioners and 900 diseases and treatments.
Daisy Cunynghame, Heritage Manager & Librarian, says:“We are excited to bring this collection to the public eye and very proud of the efforts of colleagues and volunteers that were involved in creating this web resource.
“These records contain amazing insight into the experiences of poor patients in 1700s Edinburgh. So often when stories are told of medicine and sickness in Georgian Britain, they focus on people who wrote letters and kept diaries – people who were middle and upper class.
“Through this new website we can share details of the experiences of the less well-off who relied on charitable medicine.
“The case notes are really remarkable – we find out about a woman who swallowed two pistol bullets as a folk remedy for her constipation.
“Our hope is that the website will encourage our audiences to learn about and reflect on what life was like for ordinary people in historic Scotland”.
Professor Mark Strachan, Heritage Trustee, says:“Although modern medical treatments bear little relation to those prescribed in the Edinburgh Public Dispensary, we can still see many parallels between past and present practice.
“The need to balance potential side effects of the treatment against the consequences of not treating an illness, the adverse health consequences of certain occupations and the challenge for women in having symptoms of illness believed by doctors were as common in Georgian Britain as they are today.”
Some interesting points:
• One of the recommended treatments was sea bathing. But there was a risk attached. In the case of Margaret Gray, a patient admitted to the Edinburgh dispensary in the winter of 1781 with a diagnosis of hysteria, it was recommend that she bathe in a tub or ‘form of shower bath’ rather than sea bathing, because ‘in deep water fatal consequences in the way of drowning have sometimes happened’
• Dispensary physicians recorded the home remedies that patients had already tried, including a remedy provided by a ‘benevolent lady, the widow of a Clergyman’. Sometimes the physicians did not approve, including in one case where an individual applied burnt butter to their child’s head, as a treatment for a fungal infection, ‘by the advice of some officious neighbours’
• The case notes record the occupations of many of the patients, and the impact that their diagnosis had on their health. This included street hawkers, labourers and servants. Two very Edinburgh-specific occupations were water carrier and chairman. The water carriers’ job was to collect water from the well and then deliver it to individual homes across the city. Chairmen – the carriers of sedan chairs – were also much more common in Edinburgh than other cities. Because of the Old Town’s narrow and winding streets, it wasn’t possible to travel around much of the city in a horse and cart, so chairmen were employed instead to carry their employers throughout the city. And a lot of the medical problems of both carriers and chairmen were admitted into the dispensary for were clearly related to their line of work – particularly chronic back pain and rheumatism.
• Dispensary physicians would regularly record their concern that female patients were faking their medical conditions in order to be prescribed medicines which would bring about an abortion.
Edinburgh Leisure is on the hunt for the next generation of divers
For those who have been inspired by divers such as Jack Laugher, Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix (daughter of Fred!) and Tom Daley, Edinburgh Leisure is offering the opportunity for children to come and try diving with our experienced coaches at the Royal Commonwealth Pool to see if they have a talent for the sport.
Children should be between 5 and 16 years old, able to swim 10 metres unaided, confident in deep water and submerge in water without
r without googles. No experience in necessary as they will be learning basic skills but those interested in gymnastics, trampolining, acrobatics or similar sports might enjoy this opportunity to try a new sport.
Priced at just £3, the diving taster sessions at the Royal Commonwealth Pool are offered on:
Monday 4 – Friday 8 August at 17.10 – 17.40
To secure a place, interested people should visit the Edinburgh Leisure website – https://shorturl.at/uLDKw
Edinburgh Leisure offers a world class diving programme at the Royal Commonwealth Pool, complete with a dedicated Dry Dive Area with trampolines and harnesses, which enables more experienced divers to practice the twists and turns before trying them out on the boards.
Their diving programme follows the National Diving Award Scheme right through to competitive level.
Athletes training at the Royal Commonwealth Pool include local Edinburgh boy, James Heatly (GB); Yona Knight-Wisdom (Jamaica) and Grace Reid, who grew up in the capital, are amongst other Olympians who have previously trained at the Commie.
Members of the public are being encouraged to stay safe in the sun as warm weather is expected this weekend.
Thousands will be attending TRNSMT, and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is asking festivalgoers to ensure they are protected from the sun, stay hydrated, and look after both themselves and others.
Common health conditions during nicer weather can include sunburn, food poisoning, bites or stings.
For those heading to TRNSMT, travel-sized sunscreen and collapsible water bottles (500ml or smaller) are permitted.
Medication is also allowed but must be clearly labelled in its original packaging and limited to a one-day supply. Sunglasses and a hat or cap also protect against the sun.
At the festival there are first aid points, a wellbeing area, welfare spaces, and a Welfare Team.
For those also planning to enjoy the weather outside, NHSGGC also emphasised the importance of keeping essential items, such as over-the-counter medicines, a first aid kit, and an ice pack to help manage minor cuts, bruises, sprains, and strains.
If you’re planning a barbecue, take care to avoid food poisoning by ensuring food is cooked thoroughly and hygienically.
NHSGGC’s Top Tips for the Weekend:
Sunburn and sunstroke – Always cover up in the sun to protect yourself and your family from burns and heat exhaustion. This includes wearing a high-factor sunscreen, appropriate clothing, and spending time in the shade.
Medicines – Ensure you have over-the-counter medicines available for common illnesses, including paracetamol or ibuprofen, remedies for bites and stings, and antihistamines for allergies.
First aid – Keep a first aid kit in your home with plasters, bandages, and antiseptic wipes for cuts, as well as an ice pack for minor strains or sprains.
Food poisoning – Barbecuing can lead to food poisoning if it is not done correctly. Ensure meat is cooked thoroughly and evenly and keep cooked and raw food separate.
For those requiring support or medical treatment for non-life-threatening conditions, there is a range of services available to help, and NHSGGC continues to ask people to ‘think ABC’ before attending A&E:
Ask yourself: Do I need to go out? For information on keeping yourself well and treating minor illnesses and injuries from home, visit the NHS Inform website or download the NHS24 app.
Be aware: There is help for many conditions right on your doorstep. Your local GP, pharmacy, dentist or optician offer a range of services. This could include directing you to a Minor Injuries Unit or arranging an appointment for you with NHSGGC’s Virtual A&E Flow Navigation Centre.
Call 111: If it’s urgent, or you’re not sure, call NHS 24 on 111. They’ll make sure you get the help you need.
If you believe your condition or injury is urgent or life-threatening, please call 999 or attend A&E immediately.
Dr Emilia Crighton, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Director of Public Health, said: “This weekend is looking like a great time to get outside for warmer weather.
“No matter what you’re doing, please enjoy the good weather safely by protecting yourself when in the sun, staying hydrated, and having common medicines to hand.
“We know tens of thousands of people will be heading to TRSNMT, and we hope everyone has a fantastic time. We ask festivalgoers to look after themselves and others so everyone can enjoy the event safely.
“For those who do require medical support this weekend, we want people to be aware that there are many services available to them other than emergency departments.
“By using NHS 24’s digital resources and through 111, people who need care can be seen by the most appropriate staff in the most appropriate setting.
“We ask everyone to think ABC before A&E. This will ensure you get the right care in the right place, will help reduce waiting times, and free up capacity for those who need it most.”
Most common missed health checks include eye appointments, dental exams and GP visits.
Most cite work commitments, difficulties getting an appointment and simply forgetting to book a check-up reasons why.
An expert is urging Scots not to put health on the back burner: “Not all conditions have obvious symptoms.”
Cameron Optometry St Vincent Street.
More than a quarter (27%) Scots are often too busy to stay on top of their health and almost half (46%) have missed or delayed a health appointment, according to new research.
Dental exams (17%), eye checks (16%) and GP visits (19%) were the most missed or delayed appointments, with ‘work commitments’ as the most cited reason why (38%). Others referenced difficulty getting an appointment (37%) or simply forgetting to book one (24%).
Now an expert is urging the public not to put health on the back burner.
Giles Edmonds, Clinical Services Director at Specsavers, commented: “When life gets hectic, it’s all too easy to push check-ups to the bottom of your list, but your health should never be ignored, including your eyesight.
“Not all conditions have obvious symptoms, so seeing the optician or dentist only when you’re experiencing changes won’t enable these to be identified and treated early.
“Glaucoma, for example, can develop slowly over time without any obvious symptoms, meaning many people don’t realise there’s a problem until irreversible damage to their vision has already been done.
“That’s why regular eye checks are so important – they’re not just about checking your vision; they’re a vital part of catching conditions like glaucoma early.”
Despite glaucoma being one of the most common eye conditions, people know little about the condition. More than half (51%) vaguely knew the signs and symptoms, while over a quarter (27%) knew almost nothing about the condition at all.
The research, commissioned by Specsavers, also revealed that almost two-thirds have a health problem they’ve not yet checked out – including mobility or joint pain (19%), weight or fitness levels (19%) and dental health (16%).
Despite this, more than one in ten (13%) haven’t had a dental exam and or eye check (11%) in over five years, while 7% of those surveyed have never had one.
The research also uncovered other areas adults skip over because they’ve been short of time, which included drinking enough water (33%) and getting a full night’s sleep (32%).
Of those who don’t prioritise their own health, over a third (39%) admit putting their work or job commitments first, while a third (33%) say put their family’s health needs first.
Nearly half (42%) say easier booking systems would help them make their health more of a priority, while a further 32% are simply wishing for ‘more hours in the day’.
Giles Edmonds added: “It’s easy to let health checks slide when you’re juggling a busy schedule, but looking after your eyesight is something you simply can’t afford to ignore.
“A quick and simple eye check every couple of years – or more often if you’re at higher risk – could protect you from serious long-term consequences such as avoidable vision loss.
“Your vision is one of your most precious senses, and it deserves your attention.”
As part of the city-wide Edinburgh 900 celebrations, a new exhibition celebrating Edinburgh’s rich sporting legacy opens tomorrow (Wednesday) at St James Quarter.
Free and open to all, the exhibition invites visitors to explore Edinburgh Leisure’s proud history of leisure and sport through engaging displays and stories.
Located in a dedicated Edinburgh 900 pop-up on Leith Street, next to Mor Bakery, the exhibition showcases the “City of Leisure” theme and features highlights from three captivating Edinburgh Leisure displays.
Great Lengths & Your Health is for Life
Discover Edinburgh Leisure’s 27-year commitment to promoting active lifestyles and delve into the fascinating history of the city’s Victorian swimming pools, including the iconic Royal Commonwealth Pool.
Teeing Off Through Time
Celebrate Edinburgh’s prestigious golfing heritage designed to be displayed at the 125th Edinburgh Evening News Dispatch Trophy, held at Braid Hills Golf Course in May.
Learn about the city’s pivotal role in golf’s origins, explore Edinburgh Leisure’s six scenic golf courses, and uncover the stories behind historic tournaments like the Dispatch Trophy and Gibson Cup, which have shaped local golfing traditions for over 130 years.
Whether you’re a sports enthusiast, history buff, leisure enthusiast or simply curious, this exhibition offers a unique opportunity to experience Edinburgh’s sporting spirit – all under one roof.
Admission is free, and no booking is required. If you missed the exhibition at the Royal Commonwealth Pool last autumn, now’s your chance to catch it in the heart of the city.
You can learn about Edinburgh Leisure’s Active Communities programmes, which support over 12,500 people affected by health conditions, disabilities, inequalities, and poverty to get active; membership options including their 4-week summer pass, available now; fundraising initiatives, and volunteering opportunities too.
New report reveals harrowing accounts from children facing unsafe housing, food insecurity and barriers to education – with many normalising deprivation
Children express clear understanding of systemic failures, calling for more accessible and compassionate support and services
Urgent reforms across housing, transport, education and community safety needed to break the link between a child’s background and future opportunities
Children in England are facing ‘Dickensian levels’ of poverty, going without basic needs like heating, a place to wash, somewhere to eat breakfast, or safe transport to school.
Frank testimonies from school-age children, shared in new research by the Children’s Commissioner, expose a crisis of hardship, shame and systemic failures and illustrate the stark reality of what it means to live on a low income in 2025.
The Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza has set out practical recommendations for tackling – and ending – child poverty based on the insights children have shared with her.
These have been shared with the government’s Child Poverty Unit to shape its forthcoming strategy and ensure it reflects the many ways children experience poverty: going hungry, feeling unsafe at home, travelling hours to get an education and being stigmatised for having less that their peers.
‘Every time I got [food packages] the food was always out of date and mouldy…I know I’m poor but I’m not going to eat mouldy food.’ – Boy, 15
‘The system’s so muddled up that they make you feel greedy for even wanting it…. it’s our rights. We didn’t choose to be poor.’ – Boy, 18
‘Some of it [free school meals] looks like food you wouldn’t feed to a dog’. – Boy, 15.
‘Sometimes if I have the money, I catch the bus, but sometimes I have to walk and I just feel very uncomfortable… at nighttime.’ – Girl, 14.
Recommendations include the introduction of a ‘triple-lock’ on all child-related benefits, to help alleviate the severe conditions children and their families are living through, and to deliver greater financial security for hundreds of thousands of children. All four UK Children’s Commissioners – from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – have jointly backed this call, alongside a repeated call to end the two-child benefits limit to prevent hundreds of thousands of children being driven into poverty.
Other proposals from Dame Rachel de Souza include free bus travel for all school-age children, priority for housing to be given to children in low-income households, auto-enrolment for free school meals for all eligible children, improved communication and data-sharing between schools, GPs and local authorities.
Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said: ““Since becoming Children’s Commissioner, I have been struck by the change in how children talk about their family lives over that four-year period. Issues that were traditionally seen as ‘adult’ concerns are now keenly felt by children, who see their parents’ worries and the struggles they face: the hours they work, the homes they live in and the ability to put food on the table.
“Children shared harrowing accounts of hardship, with some in almost-Dickensian levels of poverty. They don’t talk about ‘poverty’ as an abstract concept but about not having the things that most people would consider basic: a safe home that isn’t mouldy or full or rats, with a bed big enough to stretch out in, ‘luxury’ food like bacon, a place to do homework, heating, privacy in the bathroom and being able to wash, having their friends over, and not having to travel hours to school.
“Children spoke to me about the sense of shame that comes from knowing you have less – but, as one of the richest societies in the world, it is decision makers who should be ashamed that children are growing up knowing their futures are being determined by their financial circumstances.
“We have seen some positive steps by the government to get more money into families’ pockets – but we need leaders at every level: government, business, transport and every public service to commit to bold, practical measures that break the link between a child’s background and their opportunities.”
In interviews and focus groups with 128 children aged between six and 18, children didn’t talk about ‘poverty’ directly but were acutely aware they were growing up not having enough money to do the same things as their peers and feeling a sense of shame at being seen as ‘lesser’.
Everyday impact of poverty: Children spoke about their families going without heating, food, and other essentials, often accepting these hardships as normal. Many experienced poor-quality, overcrowded and unsafe housing, as well as frequent moves while facing long waits from housing providers and prolonged stays in temporary accommodation, leaving children with no stability or space to thrive, which impacted their wellbeing and education;
Food insecurity and health inequality: Rising costs mean many families have limited access to nutritious food, relying on food banks, school parcels or poor-quality free school meals, about which children raised concerns around the quality and stigma of receiving. Children also face long waits for healthcare and unequal access to mental health services, with a perception of a two-tier system, where those who can afford private care receiving faster treatment.
Barriers to education and opportunity: Children highlighted the cost of uniforms, limited transport meaning long walks or complicated commutes to school, and access to extracurricular activities as major obstacles. Schools play a crucial role in supporting children, but reported support was inconsistent. Limited career guidance and low pay were also cited as restricting the prospects for young people experiencing poverty.
Broken system and inaccessible support: Children showed a striking awareness of their family’s access to social security benefits, including the need for benefit rates to be increased. Many spoke of the need to make the system easier to navigate and with better access to services like housing, repairs, GPs, and school-based initiatives.
Unsafe and isolated communities: High crime, unsafe streets and unaffordable transport left children feeling vulnerable and cut off. Despite this, strong community bonds offer a sense of belonging and resilience in the face of hardship.
In response to children’s evidence, the Children’s Commissioner highlights the need for changes beyond the social security system to the public services that children rely on. Her recommendations include:
Uplifts to all child-related benefits on an annual basis as costs rise, so families can meet their children’s basic needs, and removing the two-child limit;
Housing reforms to ensure no child or family is housed in any B&B-type accommodation for more than six weeks. Children in low-income households should be prioritised for affordable housing and no child should ever be placed in temporary accommodation alongside other single adults;
Improved access to transport so as many children as possible benefit from free bus travel – as a minimum, all school age children in England should have free bus travel;
Improved oversight of Free School Meals, with better assessment and enforcement of school food standards to ensure all children receive nutritious, high-quality meals – and for all eligible children to be auto-enrolled to receive them;
Increased safety in communities, with visible reforms for children including prioritising the rollout of PCSOs, increased street lighting and more neighbourhood watch style initiatives in areas with children on low incomes.
Long-term vision for youth activities with children from low-income households front and centre of the government’s forthcoming National Youth Strategy, as well as a commitment to funding the Holiday Activities and Food programme beyond April 2026.
Children’s testimonies:
‘I would…change the amount of money people get from Universal Credit…because £920, is that enough for one month?’ Girl, 11.
‘In our area sometimes there’s stuff like robbing and sometimes there’s drunk people and stabbing … It’s not really a nice because sometimes it can be really dangerous… but sometimes it can be a nice merry community.’ Boy, 8.
‘Sometimes when I need to take a bath or have a shower, the water doesn’t really work sometimes… so sometimes when [children] don’t have enough water to take a shower, they always just have to go to school not clean and they didn’t shower.’ Girl, 10.
‘They’d make you walk in the cafeteria with everyone there, so everyone knows you’re poor because you have to wear a lanyard or a band on your wrist…Everyone had regular water bottles, but they had different ones for free school meals that were smaller than everyone else’s.’ Boy,18.
‘Sometimes when we go to my auntie’s house, she gives us food to take because she cooks out of home…that’s the only time I eat normal food and not take out.’ Boy, 13.
‘I remember when my sister was just born…you have to keep the house warm. But you can’t keep the house warm…because there was six of us in the house at the time…you’re trying to feed everyone, keep everyone warm and then pay for every expense around the house, so it’s quite a lot’. – Girl, 16.
‘[My mum’s] always encouraged me to reach out and try and find jobs or…some kind of income because we are quite low on the ground.’ Girl, 16.
‘I grew up in a household where my mum has [severe illness], so I’m a young carer, I have been since I was 8…I still can’t get carers allowance because I’m in full time education but the second I get in, I’m still doing all my jobs, still looking after them. What am I meant to do? Not go to college or uni? You have to give up your whole life just to care for your family, it’s all good but…you need a future.’ – Boy, 18.
‘In my house, the heating doesn’t work. Every time we [put the heating on] it’ll take like £10 a day from our electricity. And sometimes the electricity just turns off.’ Girl, 10.
‘It took [the council] three months to move us out, which was…so much stress …and the mould was making me so ill…We got home and there was a hole in our floor and the mould wasn’t done properly…It feels like you’re fighting a one-way battle because they they’re not actually doing what they can do to support us.’ Girl, 17.
‘There are a bunch of people who walk by going to a club – when they leave, they’re always drunk and chucking glass around.’ Boy, 10.
Amie Leckie, Health and Wellbeing Specialist at Heart Research UK, explores how good nutrition is one of the most important building blocks for a child’s health and offers advice on how to support your child’s heart health.
In today’s world, where convenience foods are often within arm’s reach, it can be challenging for parents to ensure their children are eating nutritious, balanced meals.
Amie Leckie, Health and Wellbeing Specialist at Heart Research UK, says: “Children can be quite picky, and dealing with a stubborn child who refuses to eat any vegetables can be a real challenge.
“However, making small, consistent changes in how we approach children’s diets can have lasting positive effects on their health, energy levels, and even behaviour.
“At the core of a healthy diet are three main principles: eating foods as close to their natural state as possible, limiting processed foods and eating balanced meals.”
Prioritising whole foods
When we talk about whole foods, we mean foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. For example, a banana is a whole food and banana chips are a processed food; a potato is a whole food, but crisps, which are made from potatoes, are a processed food.
Whole foods should be the foundation of children’s diets as they are full of essential nutrients, which are crucial for a child’s growth and development.
“Whole foods include fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, lean proteins, and healthy fats,” Amie explains. “Fruits and vegetables, for example, are full of antioxidants and vitamins like C and A, which support immune function and eye health. Wholegrains like oats, brown rice, and quinoa provide steady energy throughout the day and help maintain healthy digestion.
“Lean proteins, such as chicken, fish, eggs, and beans, contain vital building blocks for muscle and support cognitive function. Including healthy fats from avocados, nuts, seeds, yoghurt and olive oil is important as these fats support brain development and hormone production.”
Childhood is a stage of rapid growth, and it is vitally important that we give their bodies what they need to grow properly. When children regularly eat whole foods, they get the nutrients they need to grow strong and stay healthy, while also developing their taste buds for healthy foods.
Limiting processed foods
Processed foods are foods that were once whole foods or a group of whole foods that have been modified somehow. When this happens, essential nutrients are lost and often, especially with pre-packed foods, ingredients have been added such as salt, sugar, sweeteners, flavourings and unhealthy fats.
Processed foods are everywhere, and they often appeal to children due to their convenience, added flavours and eye-catching packaging. For parents, it can be hard to avoid these, especially as children get older and start noticing food products in the wider world, rather than just what is in their house.
Processed foods include sugary cereals, crisps, fizzy drinks, fast food, ready meals, packet noodles and packaged snacks.
The added ingredients in these products can lead to overeating, energy crashes, and may increase the risk of childhood obesity, diabetes, and other long-term health issues, affecting children’s behaviour.
Amie explains: “The key to limiting processed foods lies in focusing on balance and moderation rather than completely banning them. It’s okay for kids to occasionally enjoy these foods, but parents should be mindful of how often these foods are part of daily meals. Try to cook as many meals as possible from scratch and limit your reliance on convenience foods.
“A helpful tip is to make healthier swaps where possible, such as offering water or milk instead of sugary drinks or opting for wholegrain crackers and natural peanut butter as a snack, rather than crisps and chocolate. Start with small swaps and layer them as the weeks go by, so it doesn’t upset your little one too much.”
Creating balanced meals
Thinking about offering balanced meals can help parents ensure they are providing nutrient-dense plates that will keep children nourished and full. A balanced plate typically consists of a variety of food groups such as vegetables and/or fruits, wholegrains, proteins and healthy fats.
Amie says: “A good example of a balanced meal for a child could be baked homemade chicken goujons using whole wheat breadcrumbs, homemade sweet potato chips, steamed broccoli drizzled with a little olive oil, and a side of fresh fruit such as apple slices or melon wedges.
“This combination offers a range of nutrients, including protein, fibre, carbohydrates and healthy fats, which are essential for growth and energy. The combination of these foods will help keep children feeling fuller for longer and keep their blood sugar stable, which means steady energy and fewer sugar cravings.”
Encouraging kids to eat a variety of colours on their plate is a fun and effective way to ensure they are getting a variety of different vitamins and minerals. Different coloured fruits and vegetables contain different antioxidants and nutrients, so diversity is key.
Fruits and vegetables are a great source of fibre, which helps keep the digestive system healthy.
Heart Research UK has created a Rainbow Food Challenge to help encourage your children and yourself to try some new foods, so download your copy now.
Amie advises: “Parents can often feel a sense of failure if their children don’t eat what they make or try tactics to encourage children to eat by offering rewards and treats, which in the long-term don’t help establish healthy eating patterns.
“Parents cannot control what children will decide to eat on any given day, but they can, to some extent and at least in the home environment, control what foods are on offer, and lead by example and nourish ourselves with healthy food.”
Building healthy eating habits from a young age sets children up for a lifetime of good health, which includes heart health. By focusing on whole foods, limiting processed foods, and creating balanced meals, parents can provide the essential nutrients their children need to grow, thrive, and feel their best.
It may take time and patience, but with consistent effort, the benefits of a nutritious diet will soon become clear in a child’s energy, mood, behaviour and overall wellbeing.
If you’re planning to be outdoors follow our sun safety tips:
Taps aff? Slap the sun cream on!
Hydrate, hydrate, HYDRATE!
Hide during the hottest temperatures
Cover up those pasty bits!
, and a big hat to keep the lugs, face and neck protected.
Mind those that need some extra help
Find out more about alcohol and mental health: 
