POOR diets and lack of exercise are constantly being blamed for illnesses and obesity two things which affect our lifestyles and general well-being.

Over the past few years, many of us have realised that healthy living's vital, and we know that too many burgers and chips are a recipe for disaster.

And too many people suffering from heart disease, cancer and strokes puts extra pressure on the National Health Service.

So the Government is keen to target young people - to make sure they're eating a good balance of the right foods.

National School Meals Week, this week, coincides with new Government legislation on minimum nutritional standards for school lunches.

From now on, school caterers throughout England will be regulated for the first time in more than 20 years.

Nutritional standards for school lunches are part of the Government's aim to improve children's dietary habits, to reduce health problems such as anaemia, obesity and anorexia and - in the longer term to decrease the risk of serious illnesses.

The standards aim to encourage a healthier lifestyle through a balanced diet, with healthy school meals making a vital contribution.

Although the standards vary between nursery, primary and secondary schools, on a daily basis, caterers will have to provide a set number of items from the four main food groups, as well as a minimum servings of some foods, for example, fish.

There will also be restrictions of the number of times a week starchy food cooked in fat or oil may be served.

Schools and Local Education Authorities will be breaking the law from now on if the standards aren't met.

School caterers recognise and rise to the challenge of providing meals which not only comply with the new law but also appeal to pupils of all ages and cultures and are affordable for parents, said Beverley Baker, chairwoman of the Local Authority Caterers Association.

However, parents cannot totally rely on the school to provide a balanced diet for children, when school meals only account for 190 of the 1195 meals, plus snacks, which children eat on average in a year.

Adopting a whole-school approach is one effective way of changing children's dietary habits.

As there are no unhealthy foods, just unhealthy diets, and because it's a question of balance, nutritional education should be on the curriculum and taught in the classroom so that children can make informed choices in the dining room.

The concept being introduced by the Government is a good one and can only be beneficial to children having school meals.

It's important that growing children don't sit and feast on plates of chips on a daily basis, and this looks like a positive step in the right direction.

It means that parents concerned about their children's diets can feel more reassured that the meals being served at school will now offer good nutritional value.

THE LEA has sent out the information to schools but say they cannot enforce the legislation.

Because of budgets being down to schools it's down to them to make sure the policy is followed,said a county council spokesman.

We will be keeping an eye on things and liaising with schools as far as possible.