Taking a bite out of city's poor diet

MALNUTRITION is a problem many people associate with the developing world and pictures seen only on the television news.

But now visual images are being used to highlight the effect poverty is having on diets here in Scotland, where children are malnourished, not because they do not have enough food, but because what they are eating is bad for their health.

A photography project in Edinburgh’s Wester Hailes has highlighted the problems families on low income face when the choice of produce, and shopping opportunities are limited.

It is estimated that 40 per cent of people admitted to hospital in the UK are malnourished, and in Scotland around a quarter of people live in low-income households, higher than the UK average.

There are an estimated 18,500 lone parent families in Lothian alone, with a meagre average income of £204 a week, leaving few choices when it comes to the weekly food shopping.

But why are people on low incomes tending to eat junk food such as chips and pizzas rather than fresh food and vegetables?

"People on low incomes do not have the same access to healthy food as those who earn more," explains Danny Philips, head of Child Poverty Action Scotland.
So how do we solve this massive problem? Philips is a strong believer in providing free school meals for all children in Scotland, which would go a long way to redressing the balance. He is part of the campaign to encourage the Scottish Executive to introduce this policy...

"It is our duty to provide children with a good diet, just as we provide them with an education," he says. "If they are given a healthy meal in the middle of the day at school then they will get many of the daily nutritional elements that they need. Also, they are more likely to tell their parents that they enjoy certain healthy foods and the risk factor is reduced, meaning parents can buy these foods knowing their children will eat them. Children will then grow up knowing what it is to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

"But, ultimately, we have to educate people about healthy eating and also increase their income so they can afford to buy these foods. Only then will we be able to truly tackle food poverty head on." Edinburgh Evening News