School meal junk food ban 'won't help pupils'

It revealed that pupils are more likely to have been affected by the food they ate in their early years than by the content of their daily lunches.

Youngsters who ate a junk food diet at age three made less progress at school, according to the landmark Children of the 90s study at Bristol University.

Even when other factors such as low family income were taken into account, they were ten per cent less likely to achieve the expected levels of improvement between seven and 11 compared with other children.

Dr Pauline Emmett, a senior nutritionist at Bristol, who co-authored the study with experts at London's Institute of Education, said unhealthy diets had 'effects that persist over time, regardless of later changes in diet'.

TV chef Jamie Oliver has led a campaign for healthier school menus

She called for parents to be educated about nutrition but said she also supports the campaign to introduce healthier school menus led by TV chef Jamie Oliver.

'It is very important for children to eat a well-balanced diet from an early age if they are to get the best out of their education,' Dr Emmett added. The Children of the 90s study followed the development of 14,000 children since their birth in 1991 or 1992.

Researchers looked at children's diets aged three, four and seven.

A diet high in junk food was defined as being dominated by foods such as chips, crispy coated chicken, takeaways, crisps, cake, chocolate biscuits, chocolate bars and ice cream.