The Eatwell Guide shows the proportions of the main food groups which form a healthy, balanced diet:

• Eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.

• Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates; choosing wholegrain versions where possible,

• Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks); choosing lower fat and lower sugar options.

• Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including two portions of fish every week, one of which should be oily).

• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and eat in small amounts.

• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of fluid a day.

• If consuming foods and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar have these less often and in small amounts.

Regularly consuming foods and drinks high in sugar increases your risk of obesity and tooth decay. Currently, children and adults across the UK are consuming two-three times the recommended amount of processed sugar. Sugary drinks have no place in a child’s daily diet but account for a surprisingly large proportion of the daily sugar intake of both children and adults. Almost a third of the free sugars consumed by 11-18 year olds comes from soft drinks. We should aim to swap sugary drinks for water, lower fat milk or sugar-free drinks including tea and coffee. Be sure to check the label for added sugar.