Food firms 'must help parents with children's diets'

Parents need support from schools, the food industry, broadcasters and the Government to improve children's diets, according to a poll published today.

While most people think parents must be the main influence on making sure their offspring eat well, they also think there is undue pressure from big-budget, celebrity marketing campaigns.

The Food Standards Agency, which commissioned the research among 2,000 adults across the UK, found almost nine out of 10 think parents bear the main responsibility for shaping eating habits, followed by schools, food manufacturers and broadcasters.

But 85 per cent of those polled thought there should be greater control over the way fast foods are promoted to children, and 82 per cent thought celebrity endorsements had a "considerable influence" on children's food choices.