Healthy Eating: Whose Responsibility?

Primary SchoolAdvancedDiscursive Writing

The Prompt

Imagine you're having a big discussion with your friends about healthy food. Who do you think should make sure everyone eats well? Is it mostly up to each person to pick good food for themselves? Or do grown-ups in charge, like the government, and big food companies (the ones who make and sell food) also have a really important job to do?

In this writing task, you get to explore these different ideas. We call this 'discursive writing' – it's like having a debate on paper! You need to think about and discuss who has the biggest role in helping people eat healthily.

Think about 'Individuals': What choices can you or your family make every day? Why might it be hard for some people to always choose healthy options?
Think about 'Governments': What could the government do? Could they teach people about healthy food, or make healthy food cheaper?
Think about 'Food Companies': What role do they play? Do they make healthy options easy to find, or do they mostly advertise sugary snacks?

Your job is to share your thoughts, giving good reasons for your ideas. You might think one group is more responsible than another, or you might think everyone has a part to play. There's no single 'right' answer, just your well-reasoned opinion!

💡 Writing Tips

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Think about who you believe is most responsible for healthy eating: Is it mainly each person, or do grown-ups in charge (like the government) and big food companies also have a big job to do?
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Give reasons for why you think this. For example, why should a person choose healthy food? Or why should the government help?
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Try to talk about both sides of the argument, even if you agree more with one.
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Use examples! Maybe a time you saw a healthy food choice, or an advert for unhealthy food.
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Finish by saying what you think is the most important message about healthy eating.

📝 Sample Answer

I think healthy eating is a bit like a team effort, but it mostly starts with each person. If I choose an apple over a chocolate bar, that's my healthy choice. My mum and dad also help by buying good food and cooking meals. So, individuals definitely have a big responsibility to pick healthy things. However, I also think governments and food companies have a role. Sometimes, healthy food can be quite expensive, and unhealthy snacks are cheap and easy to find everywhere. The government could help by making healthy food cheaper or by teaching everyone in schools why it's important to eat well. Food companies could also try to make more healthy snacks and not just advertise sugary drinks all the time. So, while it's important for each person to try their best, I believe that governments and food companies should also do more to make it easier for everyone to choose healthy food.

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