FREE fruit will be dished out to schoolchildren across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight today as part of a new initiative to tackle child obesity.

Youngsters at about 360 local schools will receive a daily piece of fruit or vegetable in the biggest government scheme to improve childhood nutrition since the launch of free school milk.

Every four to six-year-old in local education authority schools will qualify for the scheme, which aims to reduce the risk of poor health and obesity among children and encourage them to eat a healthy diet.

The move comes after a snapshot survey of children in Southampton showed that only one in ten youngsters aged four to six was eating the recommended portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

Experts from the South East Public Health Group made the worrying finding after asking almost 600 local youngsters to keep a fruit diary for a week in September.

The new scheme, part of the government's five-a-day campaign, was being launched at Marchwood Infant School today, with the help of Hampshire County Cricket Club members.

Dr Mike Gill, regional director of public health, said: "This scheme will not only provide a piece of fruit each day, which will be very beneficial in itself, but will also teach children about the benefits of a balanced diet and plenty of exercise."

Maureen Green, head of Marchwood Infant School, said: "It will not only be providing the children with an extra portion of fruit or vegetable each school day, but should also be a positive and enjoyable experience that they share with friends."

Across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, 361 schools have so far signed up for the scheme, meaning almost 50,000 children will receive free fruit and vegetable portions from today.

FOOD FACTS:

A can of soft drink or a chocolate bar can contain six to seven teaspoons of sugar.

Children who are overweight run greater risks of developing serious illness later in life, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Obesity itself is responsible for 31,000 premature deaths each year.

Eight per cent of children have nothing to eat before school, rising to 18 per cent for 15 to 16-year-olds.

The most popular food items requested by children at school are ones that can be "hand-held" such as pizza and burgers, fresh fruit and sandwiches.

The National Audit Office predicts that by 2010 obesity will cost £3.6 billion a year in England.