The number of overweight children has doubled in the last 20 years. As LOUISA BARNETT finds out, local primary schools are trying to stop a future health epidemic through education.

It's a normal school lunch time and one nine-year-old opens up his lunch box ready to tuck in after a morning's hard work.

He has a chocolate-spread sandwich with white bread, a packet of salt and vinegar crisps, a cheese slice, a chocolate bar and two jam finger biscuits, all washed down with a bottle of lemonade.

The boy may enjoy his daily school lunch, but they make him tired and lethargic, reducing his ability to concentrate in class and do well at school - not to mention a host of adverse effects on his long-term health such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

It is predicted that most children of his generation will die before their parents do, due to their unhealthy lifestyles.

Statistics released last year showed that nearly 27 per cent of children aged two to 15 were clinically obese - a 50 per cent increase in the last 20 years. Half of all obese children become obese adults.

To combat the growing trend, Hertfordshire LEA launched a Government-backed scheme to improve children's health - the Hertfordshire Healthy Schools Programme.

To be accredited by the scheme, schools in the county need to demonstrate evidence of the whole school following healthy regimes in at least three of the seven categories - physical activity, healthy eating, citizenship, drug education, sex and relationships education, emotional health and well-being, and safety.

Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education) says that schools involved in the the Hertfordshire Healthy Schools Programme are more likely to be improving at a faster rate than the national average in the behaviour of pupils, standards of work in the classroom, quality of the work and the management and support of pupils.

This week, St Teresa's RC Primary School in Brook Road, Borehamwood, has run a 'health week' to encourage the pupils to eat better food and exercise more, as well as educating their parents on the benefits of these actions.

On Monday, children took part in a fruit and vegetable tasting session, with the help of staff from Barclays account centre in Borehamwood, who sponsored the event.

The pupils tucked into a feast of mangoes, berries, tangerines and vegetables such as cucumbers, celery and avocado.

Some of the children had never eaten many of the foods before, but after tasting them said they would ask their parents if they could eat them at home.

Andrew McGovern, ten, from Shenley Road, Borehamwood, said: "I never even knew I liked carrots but after trying them now, they are my favourite vegetable."

Nine-year-old Justin Cuevs, from Delius Close, Borehamwood, said: "I didn't think I would like all of this but I will ask my mum to put it in my lunch box now. I definitely prefer it to sweets and crisps."

Mrs Pratley, the Year 5 form teacher, said: "I think it's a fantastic idea. The statistics show only one in nine children get enough fruit and vegetables, which is extremely worrying. We need to not only change their attitude, but that of their parents.

"Since we introduced the healthy initiative, it has affected their concentration and learning - not to mention the physical benefits."

During the week, the children have also been exercising every afternoon with a range of activities from cricket to basketball.

Some of the 41 primary schools in Hertsmere, such as Monksmead, Cowley Hill and Summerswood Schools, already have the accreditation, while others are working towards it.

Jo Knight, personal health and social co-ordinator for Cowley Hill School, said: "It's so important to keep our children healthy. We need to educate them and ensure they are keeping active and stimulated."

One of the ways Cowley Hill achieved its accreditation was to set up a school council and playground buddy system to ensure that the children's emotional needs were being catered for.

Ms Knight added: "It's not just about their physical health but their health as a whole, both mentally, emotionally and physically."

At Monksmead, the school advocated a healthy lunchbox' policy, encouraging both parents and children to include healthier snacks, swapping sugary drinks and chocolate for fresh-fruit smoothies and cereal bars.

They have also held cookery workshops where the children were shown easy recipes using fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as a skipping club to promote exercise.

Pupils across the borough have reacted positively to the scheme and many children have changed their attitudes.

Emma Dejesus, 11, from Ashley Drive, who took part in St Teresa's fruit and vegetable tasting, said: "It's brilliant to finally get a say in what we eat. At the end of the day, children are always going to prefer a chocolate bar or a bag of crisps to a plate of vegetables, but giving us the option is a good thing.

"We have to be healthy to look after our mums and dads when they get old."