A new report from the Child of the North All-Party Parliamentary Group (Hungry for Change) sets out a stark picture. Children growing up in the North of England face higher risks of food insecurity, poorer nutrition, and obesity from birth through adolescence. These patterns reflect structural inequalities that continue to deepen across regions and generations.
The report tracks children’s health and nutrition across the life course, starting from pregnancy, and shows just how early the gaps open up. Babies in the North are less likely to be breastfed and more likely to grow up in food-insecure households. By Reception age, rates of obesity in Hartlepool (13.9%) are more than double those in Wokingham (5.7%).
Other findings include:
- Between 2019/20 and 2022/23, food insecurity in families with children rose by 5.5% in the North, compared to 3.8% in the South
- Families in the North live closer to fast food outlets, on average 676m away, compared to further distances in the South
- Access to nutritious, affordable food is shaped by postcode, policy and income, not parental effort or knowledge
The report highlights how policy gaps in early childhood fuel long-term inequalities in health, development and opportunity. Our partner Dayna Brackley, who co-authored the early years chapter, explored the cumulative impacts of underinvestment in the first years of life. She attended the parliamentary launch of the report in Westminster, alongside colleagues and decision-makers.
What the report calls for
Hungry for Change sets out a practical and ambitious agenda. Among its recommendations:
- Universal free early years meals, with auto-enrolment
- A fair, funded rollout of the 2025 early years nutrition guidance, including workforce support
- Appointment of a dedicated Minister for early years food and health
- Reinvestment in early years services such as Sure Start
- Automatic enrolment in Healthy Start for eligible families
- Tighter planning restrictions on new fast-food outlets in high-risk areas
Some shifts are already underway, including the government’s announcement of its Best Start in Life Family Hubs strategy, and the expansion of free school meals to children in households on Universal Credit. But as the report makes clear, piecemeal measures won’t close the gap. A systemic approach is needed; one that connects food, place, income, and health from the very start of life.