Parents admit ignorance over diet

A survey of almost 800 parents with children under 15 found that 45 per cent admitted it was difficult to establish which foods were best for their offspring.

As concern continues to grow about Britain's childhood obesity epidemic, campaigners said parents needed to set a good example for their youngsters.

The number of obese children in the UK has tripled in 20 years.

The latest survey, by charity Developing Patient Partnerships (DPP), found that even when parents were able to make healthy choices for their children nearly two-thirds struggled to motivate them to eat healthily.

They also found that 73 per cent believed marketing of unhealthy snacks made it even more difficult to encourage children to eat a nutritious diet.

DPP spokesman Dr David Wrigley said: "Sixty-eight per cent of parents say they would welcome more information on how to encourage their children to be healthier."