Ban BACON, sausages and milk from schools, demand doctors who warn meat and dairy is ‘bad’ for kids’ health
ALL schools should ban bacon, sausages and milk as they're "detrimental" to kids' health, doctors have demanded.
Experts are calling for meat and dairy to be wiped from menus across the UK - meaning children being fed exclusively vegan meals.
They cite health as the primary reason behind the proposed move, with environmental factors a close second.
Dr Shireen Kassam, founder of Plant Based Health Professionals who is leading the campaign against meat, said: "Obesity in children and young people is a severely concerning health problem, and one we could so easily tackle through plant based nutrition and education.
"Meat and dairy have proven to be detrimental to children’s health, including increasing cholesterol and blood pressure, increased risk of heart disease and is linked to the cause of some cancers.
"It’s vital that we start taking the benefits of this particular diet more seriously, and encourage both children and their families to make healthier food choices.
"Swapping current school meal plans for plant based meals makes fruit and vegetables more accessible, but also ensures that children are eating nutritious foods daily, optimising their health and minimising health related issues."
A quarter of primary school-aged kids are now obese, with a third failing to eat even one whole portion of vegetables a day.
This puts them at increased risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes and several types of cancer.
But Dr Kassam claims a whole-food plant-based diet rich in fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants - as well as free from cholesterol and low in saturated fat - will fight these dangers.
She wants bacon and sausages to be subbed for lentil bolognese and chickpea curry, and cow's milk for a vegan alternative.
Most read in The Sun
Even one red meat dish less a week could have a significant positive impact, she claims.
If the UK's 8.2million schoolchildren swapped one meaty meal out for a plant-based option, this would result in a 2.74-tonne reduction in greenhouse gas emissions - equivalent to taking 900,000 cars off the road per year.
And Dr Kassam estimates the NHS could save a staggering £30billion if Brits switched to a diet without meat and dairy.
Several schools have already made the decision to go meat-free, including Our Lady of Sion in Worthing, East Sussex, and Barrowford Primary School near Nelson, Lancashire.
But parents have blasted the decision, describing it as "absolutely ridiculous".
Several asked "what happened to freedom of choice?" while others questioned why teachers felt the need to "dictate" their kids' diets.
Dr Kassam, consultant haematologist at London's King’s College Hospital, said: "Schools need to lead on ways to tackle both health and climate issues, and educating around, and introducing plant based nutrition is key to doing this."