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| EU launches school fruit campaign | EU launches school fruit campaign |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The European Commission has launched a scheme to provide free fruit and vegetables to schools across Europe in a drive to curb child obesity. | The European Commission has launched a scheme to provide free fruit and vegetables to schools across Europe in a drive to curb child obesity. |
| The commission aims to spend 90m euros (£71m; $141m) annually on the scheme - a sum to be matched by participating governments, who are yet to approve it. | The commission aims to spend 90m euros (£71m; $141m) annually on the scheme - a sum to be matched by participating governments, who are yet to approve it. |
| About 22 million children in the EU are overweight - more than five million of them obese, the commission warns. | About 22 million children in the EU are overweight - more than five million of them obese, the commission warns. |
| The figure is expected to rise by | |
| 400,000 annually. | |
| The World Health Organization recommends a daily intake of 400g of fruit and vegetables per person. Most of the EU's 27 member states currently fail to meet that target. | The World Health Organization recommends a daily intake of 400g of fruit and vegetables per person. Most of the EU's 27 member states currently fail to meet that target. |
| See graph of fruit and vegetable availability in EU | See graph of fruit and vegetable availability in EU |
| "Giving kids good habits at an early age is crucial, as they will carry these into later life," said EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel, launching the scheme on Tuesday. | "Giving kids good habits at an early age is crucial, as they will carry these into later life," said EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel, launching the scheme on Tuesday. |
| "Too many of our children eat far too little fruit and vegetables and often don't appreciate how delicious they are. | "Too many of our children eat far too little fruit and vegetables and often don't appreciate how delicious they are. |
| "You only have to walk down any high street in Europe to see the extent of the problems we face with overweight kids. Let's do something about it." | "You only have to walk down any high street in Europe to see the extent of the problems we face with overweight kids. Let's do something about it." |
| Earlier this year the EU's statistics agency Eurostat released data showing a wide divergence in the availability of fruit and vegetables among member states. | Earlier this year the EU's statistics agency Eurostat released data showing a wide divergence in the availability of fruit and vegetables among member states. |
| The figures, showing averages during the period 2001-2007, revealed British consumers as having the lowest supply of fresh fruit and vegetables, while per capita availability was highest in Greece and France. | The figures, showing averages during the period 2001-2007, revealed British consumers as having the lowest supply of fresh fruit and vegetables, while per capita availability was highest in Greece and France. |
| Retail prices of fruit and vegetables also varied considerably across the EU. In 2006, the prices were about half the EU average in Bulgaria and about one-third above the average in the Republic of Ireland. | Retail prices of fruit and vegetables also varied considerably across the EU. In 2006, the prices were about half the EU average in Bulgaria and about one-third above the average in the Republic of Ireland. |
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