A cancer charity has warned parents about the dangers in later life of putting ham and processed meats into their children's lunchboxes.
The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has said eating processed meats could cause children to develop eating habits which could increase their risk of developing cancer in later life.
The charity says there are 'convincing scientific evidence' eating processed meats increases the risk of bowel cancer, and they therefore recommend the food is avoided.
They add: 'In the UK, scientists estimate about 3,700 bowel cancer cases could be prevented if everyone ate less than 70g of processed meat a week, which is roughly the equivalent of three rashers of bacon'.
The WCRF recommend alternatives such as fish, poultry, houmous and low-fat cheese.
Marni Craze, children's education manager for WCRF, said: 'If children have processed meat in their lunch every day then over the course of a school year they will be eating quite a lot of it. It is better if children learn to view processed meat as an occasional treat if it is eaten at all.
'We also need to do more to raise awareness of the issue, as a recent survey has shown that two thirds of people in Britain do not know that eating processed meat increases risk of cancer. This is despite the scientific evidence about a link being convincing.'
The research from the charity adds that parents should avoid buying high calorie lunch box fillers. They say some high-energy products are specifically marketed as ideas for children's lunchboxes, with Sainsbury's listing Peperami in the 'kid's lunchbox' section of its website, even though it is 44 per cent fat. As well as being processed meat, just one 25g Peperami stick contains 126 calories and 11g of fat.
Ms Craze added: 'Putting ham or high calorie snacks in your child's sandwich might seem like a convenient option, particularly for parents who do not have a lot of time to prepare their child's lunchbox.
'But packed lunches are a part of a child's diet that is relatively easy to control and it does not have to take too much time or effort to prepare a healthy lunch.'
The Food Standards Authority (FSA) has responded to the research by saying the key is a 'balanced diet'. A spokesman for the agency said: 'Whether your child eats a school meal or takes a packed lunch, it is important to try to choose a variety of foods as part of a balanced diet and watch out for foods high in fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt.
'Processed meats, such as ham and salami, can form part of a balanced diet and parents shouldn't be concerned about including these in their children's lunchboxes now and again. However they can contain high levels of fat, particularly saturated fat, and salt, so we wouldn't recommend eating them too often. Parents should try to include a variety of sandwich fillings and only use processed meats occasionally.
'Meat is a good source of iron, zinc, B vitamins and protein, but due to its high saturated fat content, it should be eaten in moderation.'
The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has said eating processed meats could cause children to develop eating habits which could increase their risk of developing cancer in later life.
The charity says there are 'convincing scientific evidence' eating processed meats increases the risk of bowel cancer, and they therefore recommend the food is avoided.
They add: 'In the UK, scientists estimate about 3,700 bowel cancer cases could be prevented if everyone ate less than 70g of processed meat a week, which is roughly the equivalent of three rashers of bacon'.
The WCRF recommend alternatives such as fish, poultry, houmous and low-fat cheese.
Marni Craze, children's education manager for WCRF, said: 'If children have processed meat in their lunch every day then over the course of a school year they will be eating quite a lot of it. It is better if children learn to view processed meat as an occasional treat if it is eaten at all.
'We also need to do more to raise awareness of the issue, as a recent survey has shown that two thirds of people in Britain do not know that eating processed meat increases risk of cancer. This is despite the scientific evidence about a link being convincing.'
The research from the charity adds that parents should avoid buying high calorie lunch box fillers. They say some high-energy products are specifically marketed as ideas for children's lunchboxes, with Sainsbury's listing Peperami in the 'kid's lunchbox' section of its website, even though it is 44 per cent fat. As well as being processed meat, just one 25g Peperami stick contains 126 calories and 11g of fat.
Ms Craze added: 'Putting ham or high calorie snacks in your child's sandwich might seem like a convenient option, particularly for parents who do not have a lot of time to prepare their child's lunchbox.
'But packed lunches are a part of a child's diet that is relatively easy to control and it does not have to take too much time or effort to prepare a healthy lunch.'
The Food Standards Authority (FSA) has responded to the research by saying the key is a 'balanced diet'. A spokesman for the agency said: 'Whether your child eats a school meal or takes a packed lunch, it is important to try to choose a variety of foods as part of a balanced diet and watch out for foods high in fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt.
'Processed meats, such as ham and salami, can form part of a balanced diet and parents shouldn't be concerned about including these in their children's lunchboxes now and again. However they can contain high levels of fat, particularly saturated fat, and salt, so we wouldn't recommend eating them too often. Parents should try to include a variety of sandwich fillings and only use processed meats occasionally.
'Meat is a good source of iron, zinc, B vitamins and protein, but due to its high saturated fat content, it should be eaten in moderation.'
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