POOR KIDS 1CM SHORTER THAN THOSE RICHER
Wealth gap hits height by age 11
CHILDREN living in deprived areas are more than a centimetre shorter than those in richer communities, a report reveals.
By the age of 11, the difference in height between poorer and wealthier boys is 1.5cm and 0.8cm in girls, researchers found.
The income divide also has a health impact, with those from poorer backgrounds twice as likely to be obese by the time they attend reception class than those from higher income families.
The annual Broken Plate report – part of footballer Marcus Rashford’s campaign to end childhood food poverty – forecast more than half the kids born this year are likely to have diabetes by the age of 65.
The study by the Food Foundation found poor families would need to spend nearly 40% of their disposable income on food to stick to Government guidelines on healthy eating.
By comparison, wealthier households need only spend around 8%.
Healthy foods were three times more expensive than junk food, costing £ 7.68 per 1,000 calories compared with £2.48 for those high in sugar, salt and fat.
The report said: “Food price is a major determinant of food choice, with price rises disproportionately affecting lower income groups.
“With Covid- 19 continuing to impact on food supply chains globally, the upward trend already seen here for 2020 is a concerning one.”
The study looked at 10 categories ranging from wages and diet to child growth and obesity.
It also found there was a 5% increase in the number of fast food outlets in the past st year in 45 of the country’s poorest local authorities.
One positive finding in the report was that there here is 12% less sugar in breakfast t cereals than a year ago.
Another was s that the number of plant-based based ready meals has soared by 33%
since 2018 – putting more vegetables into British diets.
Anna Taylor, director of the Food Foundation, said: “Covid has exposed the devastating conseq consequences of dietrelated related disease. “Leaving Lea citizens to swim a against the tide of a system syste which favours unhea unhealthy eating is no longer a an option.” ru