A NEW healthy eating policy was launched yesterday to help children in north Durham receive the diet they need.

Meal-times in some households can be a battlefield for many parents of small children.

But health bosses hope some of the confusion surrounding what constitutes a good diet will be resolved with a new healthy eating policy for under-fives in Durham, Derwentside and Chester-le-Street.

It aims to give health visitors, nursery nurses, midwives, Sure Start workers and those looking after pre-school children, a guide to dietary needs.

Liz Moran, health promotion specialist in Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Derwentside PCT, said: "It is actually a resource for professionals. It allows them to pass the information on to parents, so everybody is singing from the same hymn sheet and so all professionals are giving a consistent message on diet for children up to the age of five, because that's a very important time in the child's life."

The new guide will give nutritional information from breast or bottle feeding through to weaning, healthy eating for the future, cultural and religious dietary practices and dental health.

Ms Moran said it is vital that children under five have the diet they need, as research points to problems in later years if children begin life with a poor diet.

She said: "During the first five years of a child's life, they need a diet that will support their growth and development - one that is higher in fat and lower in fibre than that recommended for adults, but rich in vitamins and minerals.

"Both Durham and Chester-le-Street and Derwentside PCT are very keen to encourage local people to eat more healthily. By showing parents and children the benefits of eating healthily at an early age, particularly fruit and vegetables, hopefully we will have a healthier population in the future.

"If we can get the pattern set early enough, there's a good chance they'll continue healthy eating for the rest of their lives.

"Poor diet can be linked to problems in later life like heart disease, obesity and diabetes, some of which can be linked to a lack of exercise, but also diet."