One fifth of pre-school children in Northern Ireland are get too many unhealthy treats

The research by the START campaign also found that a child’s daily calorie intake from unhealthy treat foods increased as they get older with a quarter (25%) of local primary school children’s daily diet consisting of treats that are high in fat, sugar, and salt.

It comes as a quarter of children aged two to 15 in Northern Ireland are currently reported to be either overweight (20%) or obese (6%).

The research was conducted in May 2022 as part of the START campaign from safefood, the Public Health Agency and the Department of Health to understand the role of snacking and treat foods in children’s lives.

Northern Ireland women's team captain Marissa Callaghan is backing the campaign to encourage parents to reduce the amount of treats they give their children.

She said: “As a mum, I want to make sure my young son, Quinn, is eating a healthy, balanced diet.

"The occasional treat is fine for our kids, but you can also swap these for healthier options like more fruit and snacks that are low in fat, salt, and sugar.

"This will be different for every family, but it is about finding what works best for you and working together as a team to reach your goals.”

Dr Aileen McGloin from safefood said: “From listening to parents, we know this is a really challenging because treats are readily available and so cheap.

"The cost-of-living crisis makes this even more challenging. But healthy snacks can be inexpensive, quick and easy. Snack ideas to offer include crackers and cheese instead of chocolate biscuits, or plain popcorn or breadsticks instead of crisps, or for straight after school, a low-fat yogurt or fruit instead of a chocolate bar.”

Child and adolescent psychotherapist Dr Colman Noctor added: “The key is to make gradual and progressive small changes. If your children have two treats a day, then aim to reduce that to one treat a day on weekdays and two at the weekend.

"Once this has been achieved it will provide parents with the confidence to continue introducing healthier diet options.”

For Healthy Snack ideas, see www.safefood.net/Start/Healthy-eating/Eating-healthier-snacks