The British Nutrition Foundation is holding its 10th Healthy Eating Week this week.

Since launching in 2013, the week has received over 58,300 registrations from schools, nurseries and workplaces across the UK, with on average more than 5,600 school and nursery registrants in the UK each year.

In 2021 alone, there were over 6,400 registrations for the week, representing over 1.5 million participants.

The overarching message for the week this year is for people to ‘eat well for you and the planet’.

Each day of the week has a different theme.

Monday (June 13) was ‘focus on fibre - for meals and snacks’.

Tuesday was ‘get at least five a day - put plenty on your plate’.

Yesterday was ‘vary your protein - be more creative’.

Today is ‘stay hydrated - fill up from the tap’, and tomorrow (Friday) is ‘reduce food waste - know your portions’.

The island’s Public Health Directorate has been posting advice on each day according to the different themes.

An ever-present concern is childhood obesity in the island.

In 2018, the then-director of public health, Dr Henrietta Ewart published a report entitled ‘Childhood Healthy Weight – The Road to a Better Future’.

The report revealed that by age five, a quarter of the island’s children are overweight or obese, as are two thirds of adults.

Specifically, according to the figures collated by Public Health, in 2016/17, around 25.1% of children were classed as ‘overweight and obese’.

In 2017/18 this figure had risen slightly to 25.2%.

To ensure those who are normally eligible for free school meals during term time can access healthy meals over the summer, the government is currently calling for charities and community groups to apply for funding.

The pilot Summer Holiday Activity and Food Programme is part of government’s commitment to protect low income families against rising living costs.

The pilot summer scheme is making funding available to local groups and is targeted at the 2,113 children, who currently qualify for free school meals.

The funding is available for organisations to cover the full cost of providing the activity and a healthy meal for any children who attend and are currently in receipt of free school meals.

The majority of the funding will come from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL), also known as the ‘sugar tax’.

Community and not-for-profit organisations can apply for funding to put on a new programme or to extend an existing one, so more children can take part.

It is hoped that applications will cover all regions of the island to reach as many children as possible.

Applications should be submitted by June 26.