California's Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has been praised by British dentists for having the courage to ban junk food in his schools. 'This legislation is excellent news for children and parents in California - but it needs to be introduced here too!' says Dr Nigel Carter, Raisingkids.co.uk's dental expert and chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation.

'Children go to school to learn - not just academically but about general life issues too,' he says. 'One of the most important things they can be taught is the value of healthy eating. However, it is no good telling pupils that healthy eating is very important while still allowing them to have burger and chips for lunch, with the option of unhealthy snacks in-between. Junk food should not be an option in our schools.'

Dr Carter is urging parents to lobby their MPs to support the second reading of the Children's Food Bill on October 15. The bill aims to ban the advertising and promotion of junk foods to children, with mandatory nutrient and quality standards for school meals and a ban on unhealthy food vending machines.

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