The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework sets out the standards that all early years providers must follow to ensure every child learns, develops and is kept healthy and safe. As part of strengthening this commitment, a new requirement is expected to be added to the EYFS safeguarding and welfare section from September 2025, stating that providers must 'have regard to national nutrition guidance'. This means settings will be expected to take the  Early Years Foundation Nutrition Guidance guidance into account and follow it unless there is a clear and justified reason not to. The aim is to support providers in meeting the existing EYFS duty that any meals, snacks or drinks offered to children must be healthy, balanced and nutritious, helping to create environments where the foundations of lifelong healthy eating can be firmly established.

Recent national data shows that 1 in 10 children are already living with obesity when they start school, and almost 1 in 4 Reception-aged children are overweight or obese, highlighting a growing need for strong dietary guidance and healthy eating habits from infancy onwards. At the same time, around 1 in 5 children aged 2–4 years are already overweight or obese, while only 1 in 10 meet the UK Chief Medical Officer’s physical activity recommendations, emphasising how early lifestyle patterns influence future health outcomes. Supporting families, early years settings and practitioners to embed positive nutrition and activity behaviours is therefore essential to giving every child the best possible start.