As part of their New Better Health campaign, the NHS has launched a new app focused on improving children’s food choices. The new campaign comes as statistics revealed that more parents fed their children unhealthy snacks throughout the pandemic than before. Since the beginning of the pandemic, obesity in children has risen, affecting 1 in 4 children of reception school age.

The new app comes with a scan, swipe, and swap feature, allowing parents to scan foods and discover healthier alternatives. Here, we will look at the new app and how it might help protect our children’s oral health, as well as their overall health.

What is the new app?

The NHS food scanner app lets you scan the barcodes of foods. It then lets you swipe to discover healthier alternatives. You can then swap to the recommended foods the next time you do your food shop.

The app also comes with additional features to teach you and your children more about the foods you eat. Traffic light ratings are used to help you clearly see which foods contain high, medium, and low amounts of fat, salt, and sugar. All your scans are saved and can be accessed at any time. This allows you to go back and see which foods are the better options.

Could it really help to tackle obesity?

The NHS food scanner app could help to tackle obesity as it clearly shows healthier replacements. Often parents get stuck when it comes to choosing a healthy diet for their children. There is a lot of contradictory advice out there, making it difficult to know what you should and shouldn’t consume.

Another benefit is that it makes parents more conscious about what they are feeding their children. The app has received a lot of praise from those who have tried it. Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle, states:

“As a busy working mum, I find it hard to say no to my kid’s demands and often give in to snack pressure – even though I know it’s not good for them. I had no idea some foods were so high in sugar, saturated fat, and salt – so it’s great that the app gives you alternatives.”

One of the best things about the app is that it lets you make small changes that are easy to maintain. Obesity isn’t the only health issue the new app could help with. It could also greatly benefit your oral health too.

Why it could also be great for children’s oral health

The app encourages healthier food choices, including cutting back on sugary snacks. This is great news for your family’s teeth. The rise in unhealthy snacks throughout the pandemic is starting to show, with many children requiring fillings and treatment for diet-related damage to the teeth.

Poor oral health can lead to a range of other health troubles. Eating a healthy diet is key to keeping the teeth and gums healthy at any age. Getting used to regular brushing, a healthy diet and dentist visits will mean huge benefits to a child’s health in the long run.

If your children need to see the dentist, we offer dental check-ups for children for £30. Book your appointment at our family dentistry clinic in Clifton Village, by calling 0117 472 1600.