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Welcome to the Bury Community Nutrition and Dietetic Service Padlet. This Padlet is a resource for service users and family members to use to find out more information about our services and what we offer. Click on the images to follow the links.

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Address: Bury Living Well Centre, Morley Street, Bury, BL9 9JQ

Phone Number: 0161 206 0573

Adult Service Email Address: burydietitians.penninecare@nca.nhs.uk

Children's Service Email Address:

childrensdietitianbury@nca.nhs.uk

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The dietitian will discuss your referral and ask you about your normal diet, lifestyle, diagnosis, investigations and treatment plans. Your weight and height may be taken along with details of your previous weights and any changes already made to your diet. If you have been keeping a food diary this would be helpful along with a list of any medication taken.

You will be given advice, information and support and will be provided with an individual dietetic care plan with some points to follow until your next appointment.

It may be helpful, before the appointment, to think about any questions about your diet you want answered.

The department is linked to Chester University, Manchester Metropolitan University and University of Central Lancashire and provides clinical placements for their student dietitians. You may see a student dietitian who is being supervised by a qualified dietitian.

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Nutrition and Dietetics :: Northern Care Alliance

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Registered dietitians are experts in nutrition and translate research into practical, easy to follow advice. We work with individuals and groups of patients to advise on a range of therapeutic diets.

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Worried about recent weight loss or poor appetite? Use this self-screening tool to check your risk of malnutrition and find out what to do next.

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If you are worried about weight loss, to help you check if you are losing too much weight and are at risk of becoming malnourished, BAPEN has developed a simple screening tool you can use along with advice to follow if you are at risk of becoming malnourished.

This screening tool is based on the 'Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool' ('MUST'), a validated nutrition screening tool developed by BAPEN to help identify adults at risk of undernutrition and the need for dietary advice. 'MUST' is the most common nutritional screening tool used by healthcare professionals throughout the UK. However, studies have shown that patients can screen themselves effectively using a simplified version of 'MUST' similar to the one provided here. If you have any concerns please discuss them with your GP or healthcare professional.

All you need to do is to enter your current weight and your height in the calculator below and then enter the weight you were 3 - 6 months ago before you became ill or lost weight.

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Worried About Weight Loss - Self-Screening for Malnutrition

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If you are worried about weight loss, to help you check if you are losing too much weight and are at risk of becoming malnourished, BAPEN has developed a simple screening tool you can use along with advice to follow if you are at risk of becoming malnourished.

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If you're finding it hard to make ends meet, support is available. The Bury Directory has a list of food banks in and around the Bury area, where you can access free or subsidised meals and ingredients supplied by voluntary organisations and specialist companies.

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Bury Area Food Banks | The Bury Directory

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Bury Area Food Banks | The Bury Directory

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We'd love to get your feedback on the Padlet, follow the link to the questionnaire and let us know what you think!

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The British Dietetic Association has published a range of information sheets to help you learn the best ways on eating and drinking to keep our bodies fit and healthy.

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British Dietetic Association (BDA) Food Fact Sheets are written by dietitians to help you learn the best ways to eat and drink to keep your body fit and healthy.

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Want to learn more about eating well? This NHS guide shows how to enjoy a balanced diet with the right mix of fruit, veg, whole grains, and protein to stay healthy and feel your best.

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Find out about the major food groups and how to balance them for a healthy diet.

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Find out what toddlers and pre-schoolers need to grow well and stay healthy—this guide explains foods, portion sizes, and tips for happy mealtimes.

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Toddlers and pre-school children grow and develop quickly! It's an important time to make sure they are eating well to get all the energy and nutrients they need.

This is a great time for children to learn about food and eating, so they can get into the habit of having a healthy, varied diet.

In this section, you can learn what your toddler or pre-school child should be eating, and in what amounts.

A healthy diet is about getting the right balance of foods and drinks in the right amounts. Developing healthy eating habits in the early years can set a child up for good health in later life.
Helena Gibson-Moore, Nutrition Scientist, British Nutrition Foundation

The 5-5-3-2 portion guide

The 5-5-3-2 guide relates to amount of portions of each food group that children should be getting each day

Download the 5-5-3-2 portion guide

The 5-5-3-2 guide has portion size examples for a range of foods to give you an idea of what is appropriate to offer children. Children's appetites can vary a lot so let them decide how much to eat.

Download the guide

What is a toddler sized portion?

Starchy foods

Practical examples of portion sizes for toddlers

High-fibre starchy foods, such as wholemeal pasta and brown rice, should be introduced gradually because toddlers can fill up very easily on these bulky foods and stop eating before they've eaten enough energy for their needs.

Fruits and vegetables

Practical examples of portion sizes for toddlers

It might be useful to think about the colours of fruits and vegetables and to offer 'a rainbow' of options, selecting those that are purple/blue, orange/yellow, green and brown/white.

Some children may initially reject some fruit and vegetables, but do not give up offering these foods - sometimes you might need to offer them 5 -15 times before your child accepts them - keep persevering! Encouraging toddlers to eat lots of fruits and vegetables will not only give them the nutrients they need but will also train their palate to like these foods. This means they will be more likely to eat lots of fruits and vegetables throughout childhood and into adulthood.

Dairy foods

Practical examples of portion sizes for toddlers

Skimmed and 1% milks are not suitable for children under 5 years.

Protein foods

Practical examples of portion sizes for toddlers

Try to serve these protein foods with another food or drink that is rich in vitamin C (such as fruit and vegetables) as this will help with iron absorption. In addition, oily fish (such as salmon, trout and mackerel) is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids and a dietary source of vitamin D.

How much should my toddler be drinking?

It is important to make sure your toddler is hydrated, because if not they may feel tired and not perform to the best of their abilities and in extreme cases may become seriously ill. Try to offer your toddler six to eight drinks per day (approximately 1 litre).

It is best to give your child water as their main drink because it does not cause tooth decay, unlike drinks containing sugar, such as fruit squashes, fruit juices, sweetened milks and fizzy drinks. Also, to discourage your child from developing a preference for sweetened drinks, it is best not to offer these too often.

Fruit juice provides some nutrients but is also high in sugar and is acidic, so, if you give your child fruit juice should be diluted with water and kept to mealtimes.To protect teeth from decay, toddlers should be consuming drinks (including milk) from a cup or free flowing beaker and not from a bottle. For more information see our resource on healthy hydration for children aged 1-4 years below.

Encouraging your toddler to eat a healthy, varied diet

It is normal for young children to refuse to eat certain foods from time to time. Some children will be reluctant to eat new foods and others will reject foods that are familiar even if they have previously eaten them without any fuss!

Typically, these types of behaviour tend to reach a peak between 2 and 6 years of age, after which most children will become more accepting of a variety of foods. Despite this stage being fairly normal, 'fussy' eating should not be ignored because it is important that young children get used to eating a healthy, varied diet that includes foods from the four main food groups.

It might sound obvious, but the key to overcoming fussy eating is to help your child learn to like the foods you offer, because children will eat more of the foods they enjoy. It is important to remember that children are born with very few food likes and dislikes - they acquire these through experience - and nearly all children are capable of learning to like a variety of foods from the four main food groups. You can help them to do this in a number of ways:

If at first you don't succeed - keep trying!

Repeatedly offering a food, so that it becomes familiar, is known to increase children's willingness to try it and eventually to like it. You might need to offer some foods 5 - 15 times or more before your child learns to like them, but they should get there in the end so do not give up!

Relax and praise

Pressurising or coercing your child into eating certain foods can sometimes work in the short-term, but this tactic may backfire because your child is likely to develop negative associations with the food and be even less likely to eat it in the future.

The best approach is to offer food in a relaxed way and to let your child decide how much they want to eat; when your child tries a new food or eats something they previously refused, even if it's only a tiny piece, praise your child. Praise can help children to develop positive associations with food which will mean that they will be more likely to eat them again in the future.

Create a healthy home.

Aim to create a healthy home environment. Stock up on healthy foods from the four main food groups and try to avoid having foods high in fat, salt and sugars on display or in your child's reach.

'Modelling', that is, allowing your child to learn from watching how you behave, has been shown to be an effective way to encourage children to accept new foods, so lead by example and eat the foods that you would like your child to eat.

It is also a good idea to limit your child's exposure to food advertising, for example by limiting their screen time, as this might negatively influence your child's food preferences by encouraging liking of foods high in fat, salt and sugars.

Frequently asked questions

Why is it so difficult to get young children to eat vegetables?

Vegetables can be quite bitter; particularly some green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale or cabbage. Young children are very sensitive to bitter flavours and prefer sweeter foods. This means that they might be ok eating some sweet and tasty fruit but push their vegetables to one side, or even onto the floor!

Just eating fruit can mean that kids could miss out on some of the nutrients found in higher amounts in vegetables, as well as the opportunity to enjoy the varied dishes where vegetables are found - so it's important that they have a variety of both in their diet.

Food 'neophobia' - the fear of new things - is also a problem between the ages of 2 and 6 years. Neophobia is common at this stage in life and simply means that a child will usually turn their nose up at a new food. This can be a key reason young children tend to say no the first time you try to introduce something they are not used to, but it does not mean they won't learn to like it.

There are many ways that parents often use to try and get their kids to eat vegetables, but some are more effective than others. Coercion or force-feeding strategies, for example, can make both child and parent stressed and lead the child to like the vegetable even less! Similarly, using treat foods as a reward also seems to make children like the vegetable even less. Not only that, but they tend to like the less healthy reward food even more afterwards.

Hiding vegetables in foods can be a way to get children to eat vegetables with less fuss, as they do not notice them when eating. The problem is that because the child does not see the vegetables, they do not learn to like them on their own and may still reject them later.

How can I ensure my fussy young child eats their vegetables?

Studies have shown that the best way to get young children to eat foods is through repetition. Becoming more familiar with a food can help children to accept it. The problem is that research has also found that it can take between 8 and 15 times being given a food before it is accepted. As many parents will be aware, between 8 and 15 rejections of a vegetable also means between 8 and 15 stressful mealtimes or snacks, as well as wasted food and hungry kids.

Is there a way that could reduce the number of times a food has to be introduced and help young children to understand and accept vegetables as part of their daily diet?

The See & Eat project was funded by EIT Food and led by the University of Reading, with partners including the British Nutrition Foundation. The goal of the project was to encourage children to eat more vegetables by familiarising them with images that show the veggies growing, being picked, sold in store, and then being cooked and eaten. The theory is that this approach can help children become more familiar with vegetables and therefore accept them more readily.

The research team had already published a study using physical books, which showed promising results. They found that the children who were shown the books became more familiar with the vegetables and were also more likely to enjoy them! Books with fruit were also tested - but in these cases the researchers saw no difference between the groups with and without books. This might be because fruits tend to be sweeter, and kids are more likely to enjoy them than their less sweet vegetable counterparts.

The See & Eat project has now produced a range of eBooks that parents can use to introduce vegetables to their children. These books can be freely downloaded on phones or tablets. Each eBook has a set of images and accompanying text that show the journey of a vegetable 'from farm to fork'. This allows children to not only see the vegetable in its raw form, but to have a basic understanding of how it is grown and what it looks like in meals and snacks.

The eBooks are also customisable - allowing parents to edit the text or add their own images. This can help parents to personalise the books in a way that suits them and their children's learning and adds more flexibility than a physical book would have.

For more information on See & Eat, or to download the resources yourself, click here to be taken to the See & Eat website.

How much food should I serve pre-school children of different ages?

Young children need energy (from food) to grow and develop. As children get older, their body size increases, and they will typically eat more food as a consequence.

Generally it's a good idea to offer larger portions to older children than younger children but you can be guided by the size of your child and their appetite that day.

The British Nutrition Foundation 5532 guide for 1-4 year olds provides portion size suggestions for a range of foods from each of the four main food groups. For many foods we give a range - taking pasta as an example, the suggested portion size is 2-5tbsp and it may be useful to think about the lower range (2tbsp) as being most suitable for a 1-year-old and the higher range for a 4-year-old (5tbsp).

What if my child wants more than the recommended portion size?

Young children's appetites can vary hugely from meal to meal and from day to day. Appetite can depend on things like how active they are, mood, how much they like the food and time since their last meal.

Young children are usually fairly good at regulating their own appetite (they know when they are hungry and when they are full). Therefore, if a child eats more than usual at breakfast, they may well make up for this by eating less than usual later in the day. If you are concerned that your child is always eating larger than the recommended portions, you could try:

Serving smaller portions to start with and allowing them to ask for more if they are still hungry

Using child-sized plates or bowls (using adult-sized may encourage you to serve them too much)

Encouraging them to eat more slowly if they are a quick eater, as this can give their body more time to realise it is full.

What if my child refuses to eat what's on their plate?

It is important that young children eat a variety of foods from the main food groups.

The 5532 guide suggests how many portions from each of the food groups should be eaten per day. Pressuring children to eat, completely banning less healthy foods and using treat foods as a reward could actually decrease children's liking of the foods you want them to eat.

However there are lots of positive things you can do to help your child eat well:

Eat a healthy meals yourself, and eat with your child when you can (children are more likely to eat foods that they see others eating and enjoying)

Make mealtimes fun and inclusive (allow children to touch and smell foods and involve them in food preparation where possible)

Provide plenty of opportunities for children to try new foods (it may take 10+ attempts until they accept a new food!).

If a child regularly leaves food on their plate from a particular food group (for example fruit or vegetables), maybe try offering this again as a snack later on (for example offer fruit for dessert or veggie sticks as a snack). This may also help to reduce waste!

Do I need to worry about how much my child is fed at nursery and preschool?

In the UK, there are guidelines that nurseries, preschools and childminders should follow to make sure that portion sizes, as well as food quality and the way they feed children, are appropriate.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland these guidelines are voluntary and in Scotland they are compulsory.

If your child goes to a nursery, childminder or preschool, it's always a good idea to have a look at their menus and policies on food. It's also a good idea to ask what your child has eaten during the day - knowing which foods they've already had will help you to decide what to feed them later, to ensure their diet is varied. You could encourage your child to talk about what they ate and what they enjoyed that day if they can.

Foods to avoid giving to toddlers

Salt - children aged 1 to 3 years should have no more than 2g of salt (0.8g sodium) per day to reduce the risk of health problems in later life. Foods prepared at home can be flavoured with herbs, spices or lemon instead of salt. Some foods, such as cheese and meat products, are relatively high in salt so try to check food labels and avoid those which have more than 1.5g of salt per 100g (or 0.6g sodium).

Some raw eggs - toddlers can eat raw or lightly cooked hens' eggs that have a red lion stamped on them (the British Lion Quality mark). Hens' eggs that don't have the red lion mark, as well as other eggs including duck or quail eggs, should be cooked until both the white and yolk are solid. Avoid foods containing raw or partially cooked eggs that you cannot confirm are red lion stamped to reduce the risk of salmonella poisoning

Shark, marlin and swordfish - should not be given to toddlers because they contain more mercury than other types of fish.

Whole nuts - the NHS advises that whole nuts should not be given to children under the age 5 years because of the risk of choking but you can give your baby nuts and peanuts from around 6 months old, as long as they're crushed, ground or a smooth nut or peanut butter.

Low-calorie foods - for most toddlers there is no need to offer 'low-calorie' or 'low-fat' foods because children of this age need lots of energy for growing and for physical activity. However, once a varied diet is accepted and provided your child is growing well, semi-skimmed milk can be introduced from 2 years.

Sugars - sweet foods and drinks can lead to tooth decay, so these foods should be limited and consumed only at mealtimes.

Overweight and obesity, physical activity, supplements and dental health

Overweight and obesity
The UK has one the highest rates of childhood obesity in Europe, with more than 1 in 5 children aged 2 to 4 years estimated to be overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese is bad for your child's health both now and over the longer term. Overweight and obese children are more likely to suffer from emotional and psychological problems and tend to grow up to be overweight or obese adults, which can lead to serious health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.

It can be difficult to tell if your toddler is overweight. If you are concerned about your child's weight then you can contact your GP or health visitor. They can check their weight and height and advise you if their weight is in the healthy range.

If your child is overweight then encouraging them to do plenty of activity and offering a healthy diet will help their weight to get back into the healthy range.
Physical activity
Getting plenty of physical activity every day is really important for health and development in young children.

It improves bone health, develops movement and coordination and contributes to a healthy weight. It's recommended that children under 5 years are active for 3 hours across the day. Children who are not walking yet, can be active through floor-based play, such as tummy-time or playing with toys and swimming. Children who can walk can get active through playing inside or outside, with activities like dancing, skipping, playing in playgrounds, playing with balls, scooting, cycling or swimming. It's also important to minimise the time children spend sitting down, for example, when in a buggy or watching screens.
Dental health
It is important to look after your toddler's teeth. As soon as their first teeth appear, register them with a dentist and visit regularly, as advised by your dentist.

A healthy diet low in sugars will help to prevent your child from developing tooth decay. Sugary foods and drinks should be limited to mealtimes as the more often your toddler consumes these types of foods and drinks the more likely they are to get tooth decay.

To prevent tooth decay it is best to give your toddler only water or milk to drink between meals and to encourage drinks to be consumed from a cup or free-flowing beaker and not from a bottle. You should make sure to supervise your toddler brushing their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste for 2 minutes.
Supplements
It is recommended that children under the age of 5 years should take a daily supplement of vitamins A, C and D (in the form of liquid drops) - ask your GP, health visitor or pharmacist for more information. Vitamin drops including vitamins A, C and D are available free of charge for low income families through the Healthy Start scheme. Speak to your health visitor or find more information on this page from the NHS.

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Nutrition for toddlers and pre-schoolers

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Toddlers and pre-school children grow and develop quickly! It's an important time to make sure they are eating well.

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Do you struggle what to look out for on food labels when trying to follow a healthy, balanced diet? Follow the link to learn more.

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What are food labels and why use them?

Food labels show us information about what foods and drinks contain. It's important you know where to find the information you need and what to look for.

The current laws around food labelling in the UK outline what information must be provided and how that information must be presented. Food labelling should be clear, easy to read and not misleading. But, the nutrition labelling rules do not apply to food supplements or natural mineral waters.

Using these food labels when shopping can help you make healthier choices, for example, by choosing foods and drinks that are:

Lower in saturated fat

Lower in sugar

Lower in salt

Lower in calories

Looking at the nutrition information on food labels can help you make healthier choices. Traffic light labelling allows you to make comparisons between products that are high, medium, or low in fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar. Calories are also shown on the label.
Zoe Hill, Nutrition Scientist, British Nutrition Foundation

Understanding front-of-pack labelling

In the UK, putting nutritional information on the front of pre-packaged foods and drinks is voluntary but most major supermarkets and many food manufacturers provide this.

The information must be displayed as either: Energy (kJ and kcal) only or Energy (kJ and kcal), Fat, Saturated fat, Sugars (total sugars) and Salt. This information will be written per 100g/100ml, per portion or both.

The government's recommended format is red, amber, green colour-coding, and percentage reference intakes (RIs), or as it is also known - traffic light labelling!

Traffic light labelling

Using front-of-pack labels is useful when you want to quickly compare different food products.

When choosing between similar products, try to opt for more greens and ambers, and fewer reds!

What does green mean?

If there is mostly green on the label, then it is low in that nutrient and a healthier choice!

What does amber mean?

This means the product is neither high nor low in the specific nutrient.

You can eat foods with all or mostly amber on the label most of the time.

What does red mean?

Red does not mean you cannot eat the product, but means the food is high in fat, saturated fat, salt, or sugar.

We should be cutting down on foods with lots of red on the label, or if they are eaten, to have less often and in small amounts.

What are the guidelines for a front-of-pack label?

The table below shows how high, medium, and low levels of fat, saturates, total sugars and salt in foods are classified for front of pack labels (there are different levels for drinks). These levels have been decided by the UK government. The 'per portion' in red is used where portions are 100g or more.

Alongside these traffic lights, the label might also show the amount of these nutrients in a portion of the food or drink and the percentage of your reference intake (RI). If there isn't much room on the label, just energy values will be displayed but the full nutrition information will be available on the back of the pack.

Understanding back-of-pack labelling

Most pre-packed products must provide a nutrition label on the back of the pack.

By law back of pack nutrition labels must include:

This will be displayed:

This back-of-pack information must be displayed as per 100g or 100ml of the product but may also be displayed as per portion. Generally, this information will be displayed like the example below:

Typical values

100g contains

Each slice (typically 44g) contains

Nutrition labelling terms explained

What are reference intakes?

Reference intakes (RIs) have been set by European law and are based on an average sized woman doing an average amount of physical activity. RIs are not targets for people to consume but a guideline to help you make healthy dietary choices and balance your daily intake.

The % RI on the label gives you more information about how much of an average adult's daily intake limit of each nutrient is in a portion and will help you put it in the context of a healthy, balanced diet.
As part of a healthy, balanced diet, an adult's RIs for a day are:

Energy or Nutrient

Reference Intake

*This figure is for total sugars which include free sugars, plus sugars from milk and sugars contained in fruit. Remember, as adults we should be consuming no more than about 30g of free sugars per day.
What about fibre?

You may have noticed that there isn't an RI for fibre. This doesn't mean it isn't important, we're recommended to eat 30g per day and most people in the UK need to eat more fibre. Fibre can still be included in nutrition labels on the back of packs, and you may see labels like 'source of fibre' or 'high in fibre' on foods that provide significant amounts.

Understanding allergy information

It is important that people with food allergies have all the information they need to quickly decide whether a food is suitable for them to eat. To ensure this is the case, there are labelling laws in place to make it easier for you to check what's in products.

There are 14 common allergens which, when present in a pre-packed product, must be emphasised clearly in the ingredients list, so it stands out from the other ingredients. They can be highlighted, underlined, using bold or italics, different colours or CAPITAL LETTERS.

If it isn't obvious whether an ingredient contains an allergen, this must be made clear. For example, tofu is made from soya beans, so if a product contains tofu, they must emphasise that it will contain soya: 'tofu (soya)'.

What is 'Natasha's Law'?

From 1 October 2021, changes to allergen labelling requirements, also known as Natasha's Law, came into force for food that is prepacked for direct sale. This refers to food which is packaged at the same place it is offered or sold to consumers and is in this packaging before it is ordered or selected, such as sandwiches, bakery products and fast food.

Prepacked for direct sale food must have a label that displays the name of the food and a full ingredients list, with allergenic ingredients emphasised within it, to help people make safer choices.

What are nutrition and health claims?

Nutrition claims

These relate to what a product does or doesn't contain or contains in a higher or lower amount. For example:

'Sugar free' (must contain less than 0.5g sugars per 100g)

'Low fat' (must contain less than 3g fat per 100g)

'High in fibre' (must contain at least 6g fibre per 100g)

'Source of vitamin D' (must contain at least 15% of the RI for vitamin D per 100g)

You can have a look at the full list of Nutrition Claims permitted for use on foods sold within Great Britain on the UK government website here.

Health claims

These are claims that state or suggest there is a relationship between a product and health. For example:

"Calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones".

"Potassium contributes to the maintenance of normal blood pressure".

"Vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue".

"Folate contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy".

Health claims on food labels are not allowed to state that the food can prevent, treat, or cure any disease or medical condition. They are also not allowed to refer to a rate or amount of weight loss.

What other information will I find on food labels?

As well as nutritional information, food labels also provide other information about foods and drinks.

List of ingredients

If a food or drink product has two or more ingredients, they must all be listed. These ingredients are listed in descending order of weight. This means the main ingredients in the packaged food will always be displayed first. This can help you to make healthier choices too, as if the first few ingredients in a food or drink product are 'sugar' or 'butter', you will know that they are the main ingredients, and is therefore a high-fat or high-sugar product.

Food additives

Different kinds of food additives are used in foods:

E numbers - An 'e number' shows that a food additive has been safety tested according to the rules set out by the European Commission and has been approved for use in foods.

Antioxidants - Such as vitamin E (E307) are often used in foods containing fat, to stop the fat going off (becoming rancid). Other commonly used antioxidants in foods include vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid or E300.

Preservatives - These are used to stop food going off and to keep it safer for longer (extend its shelf life). For example, sulphur dioxide (E220) is added to dried fruit to stop mould growing on it and meats like bacon and ham are often cured with nitrates (E252) to prevent bacteria growing.

Flavour enhancers - These are used to enhance or 'boost' flavour in a food but do not provide flavour themselves. Monosodium glutamate (MSG - E621) is a very common flavour enhancer. Whilst flavour enhancers have E numbers, flavourings do not and instead 'flavouring' will be listed on the ingredients.

Sweeteners - These are often used to add a sweet taste in low calorie products like drinks or yoghurts. Common sweeteners include aspartame (E951), saccharin (E954) and acesulfame-K (E950).

Emulsifiers - These allow fat and water to mix, when naturally they would separate, e.g., in mayonnaise. A common emulsifier is Lecithin (E322), which is found naturally in many foods. Stabilisers such as locust bean gum (E410) made from carob beans, help to keep these mixtures from separating again.

Gelling agents - Such as pectin (E440), which is a type of soluble fibre present in fruit such as apples, provide texture to a product, and thickeners add body to products such as sauces and soups.

Colours - These are added to provide colour and make food appear attractive. Some food colourings come from natural sources such as curcumin from turmeric (E100), while others like sunset yellow (E110) are artificial.

These colours include:

Sunset yellow (E110)

Quinoline yellow (E104)

Carmoisine (E122)

Allura red (E129)

Tartrazine (E102)

Ponceau 4R (E124)

These colours are used in several foods, including soft drinks, sweets, cakes, and ice cream, but now several retailers and manufacturers have removed these colours from their product ranges. If any of the six colours listed above are in food or drink, the food label must also have a specific warning saying that the colour 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'.

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Food labelling | British Nutritional Foundation

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Looking at the nutrition information on food labels can help you make healthier choices.

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For children who are selective eaters / have sensory feeding difficulties, we believe that empowering families with strategies to use at home is the most effective treatment method. The video attached will provide you with information and strategies to help you to understand and manage their eating challenges in their home environment, where mealtimes take place.

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Selective Eating | Northern Care Alliance

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For additional strategies on introducing new foods and fostering a healthy relationship with food, follow the link to this document.

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CDC Selective eating leaflet updated july 24

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Curious as to if your child needs a multivitamin and mineral support? Have a read of the document linked and see if your child needs support and the range of examples you can choose from if needed.

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Malnutrition is a serious condition that happens when your diet does not contain the right amount of nutrients.
It means "poor nutrition" and can refer to:

undernutrition - not getting enough nutrients

overnutrition - getting more nutrients than needed

These pages focus on undernutrition. Read about obesity for more about the problems associated with overnutrition.

Signs and symptoms of malnutrition

Common signs of malnutrition include:

unintentional weight loss - losing 5% to 10% or more of weight over 3 to 6 months is one of the main signs of malnutrition

a low body weight - people with a body mass index (BMI) under 18.5 are at risk of being malnourished (use the BMI calculator to work out your BMI)

a lack of interest in eating and drinking

feeling tired all the time

feeling weak

getting ill often and taking a long time to recover

in children, not growing or not putting on weight at the expected rate

Read more about the symptoms of malnutrition.

When to see a GP

See a GP if:

you've unintentionally lost a lot of weight over the last 3 to 6 months

you have other symptoms of malnutrition

you're worried someone in your care, such as a child or older person, may be malnourished

If you're concerned about a friend or family member, try to encourage them to see a GP.

A GP can check if you're at risk of malnutrition by measuring your weight and height, and asking about any medical problems you have or any recent changes in your weight or appetite.

If they think you could be malnourished, they may refer you to a healthcare professional such as a dietitian to discuss treatment.

Who's at risk of malnutrition

Malnutrition is a common problem that affects millions of people in the UK.

Anyone can become malnourished, but it's more common in people who:

People who are 65 years and over are particularly at risk, and weight loss is not an inevitable result of old age.

Read more about the causes of malnutrition.

Treatments for malnutrition

Treatment for malnutrition depends on your general health and how severely malnourished you are.

The first dietary advice is usually to:

eat "fortified" foods that are high in calories and protein

snack between meals

have drinks that contain lots of calories

Some people also need support with underlying issues such as limited mobility. For example, care at home or occupational therapy.

If a child is malnourished, their family or carers may need advice and support to address the underlying reasons why it happened.

If these initial dietary changes are not enough, a doctor, nurse or dietitian may also suggest you take extra nutrients in the form of nutritional drinks or supplements.

If you have difficulty eating and this cannot be managed by making changes such as eating soft or liquid foods, other treatments may be recommended, such as:

a feeding tube - this can be either passed down your nose and into your stomach, or inserted directly into your stomach through the skin of the tummy

nutrition that's given directly into a vein

Read more about how malnutrition is treated.

Preventing malnutrition

The best way to prevent malnutrition is to eat a healthy, balanced diet.

You need to eat a variety of foods from the main food groups, including:

The Eatwell Guide has more information about the types of food you should include in your diet and how to get the right balance between them all.

Speak to a GP or specialist if you have a health problem that puts you at increased risk of malnutrition. You may have more complex dietary needs or need to take supplements.

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Malnutrition is a serious condition that happens when your diet does not contain the right amount of nutrients. It means "poor nutrition" and can refer to: undernutrition - not getting enough nutrients overnutrition - getting more nutrients than needed These pages focus on undernutrition. Read about obesity for more about the problems associated with overnutrition.

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A great information booklet with top tips on how to make your diet as nourishing as possible

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More information on how to make the most of your diet if your appetite is reduced or you are losing weight

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Eating Well

Having nutritious and varied food is important for good health and well-being throughout life. As we age, it becomes even more important. I wonder if it would surprise you that it is estimated that one in ten people over the age of 65 are at risk of malnutrition. You might know someone at risk or it could even be you.

Ageing puts us all at risk of becoming malnourished. This is a concern because poor nutrition can be both a cause and a consequence of ill health. Signs will often go unnoticed until they have a negative impact on our health and wellbeing.

Malnourishment can affect health and well-being, and cause long-term health problems for otherwise healthy and independent older people. It can also mean more visits to the GP, increased chances of being admitted to hospital and longer recovery times from illness.

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Eating Well Having nutritious and varied food is important for good health and well-being throughout life. As we age, it becomes even more important. I wonder if it would surprise you that it is estimated that one in ten people over the age of 65 are at risk of malnutrition.

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Want to check if you're a healthy weight? Use the NHS BMI calculator to find out your Body Mass Index and get personalised advice on what it means for your health.

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Calculate your body mass index (BMI) - NHS

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Check your BMI to find out if you're a healthy weight for your height.

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Understand about how membership enables us to be there for everyone affected by Crohn’s and Colitis. We provide vital information which help people navigate a new diagnosis, find out more about treatments or get the latest updates on the impact of coronavirus on those affected by the conditions.

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Recently diagnosed with coeliac disease? Coeliac UK has lots of really useful information about living with coeliac disease

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Building a positive relationship with food and your body

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A journey towards positive body image and being comfortable

Support for young people, parents, carers and professionals

Improve eating behaviours and relationship with food

Build positive body image

Identify concerns around body image and disordered eating

...more content coming soon!

Explore our educational modules

Intuitive and balanced eating

Feeling comfortable in your body

Breaking free from diet culture

Managing anxiety around food

Understanding hunger

Support a young person with ARFID as well as very picky or fussy eaters

Understanding disordered eating

Recognising the signs and signals

Supporting emotional regulation

What is Disordered Eating?

Disordered Eating is a phrase used to describe a range of irregular eating behaviours that may or may not warrant a diagnosis of a specific eating disorder.

People who experience disordered eating, whether diagnosed with an Eating Disorder or not, often have poor emotional awareness and have limited access to emotion regulation strategies.

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What is Body Image?

We can't always see the extent of somebody's body image struggles. Body image is the way you:

Evaluate your appearance

Think and feel about the way your body looks and functions

Behave, treat and relate to your body

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What is AFRID?

People with ARFID eat a very limited variety or amount of food and it causes problems in their lives. These problems may be health related, like loosing too much weight, or not getting enough nutrients.

These problems may also be social, like not being able to eat meals with others.

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What is Normal Eating?

Normal eating is flexible. It varies in response to your emotions, schedule, hunger and proximity to food.

Examples of 'normal' eating include being able to eat when you're hungry and continue eating until you are satisfied, overeating and undereating at times and giving yourself permission to eat all foods.

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Search Resources

Search our library of resources curated by our clinical and specialism
professionals.

How to support family, friends
or patients

Uncover the path to a more positive relationship with food and your body with Be Body Positive. Your new go-to destination for information and resources on disordered eating and body image.

✓ Evidence-based coping strategies

✓ Stories and experiences

✓ Quizzes and games

✓ And so much more!

The content is designed by a team of experts specifically for young people and tested by young people. We provide the support and guidance you need to overcome challenges around eating, body image and self-care.

With resources for parents/carers as well as youth workers, teachers and health professionals, there is something new to learn for everyone.

Find out more

Stories

Hear from people in similar situations

Binge-Eating Disorder Recovery

Young Person from Bedfordshire

I remember being around eight to nine years old and beginning to develop binge eating disorder symptoms. It was at a challenging point in my life when my parents split up and then when I went to secondary school, things got worse as I had more control over what I was eating...

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Designed as an early intervention, Be Body Positive promotes building a positive relationship with food and your body.