There is no question that more urgency is needed from schools, but also government, to ensure all our children are able to eat healthily at school (Schools told: do more to beat junk food crisis; Could lunch time lock-ins cut obesity?, The Herald, January 15). However, alongside further improving the quality of school meals and the dining environment, or the consideration of lunch-time "lock-ins", more action is needed to remove the cost barriers that discourage children from taking school meals.

Previous Scottish Government research found that cost was a key factor putting off nearly one-third of secondary school pupils who choose not to take a school meal. Given this, and the fact that less than half of children living in poverty currently receive a free healthy school meal, it is clear that the introduction of universal free school meals should be a key part of future strategy to boost healthy eating at school.

The Scottish Government's free school meals pilot in primaries is a massive step forward, but no time should now be lost in rolling out free school meals to all pupils. As the government launches its National Food Debate, it is surely right that ensuring all our children have a healthy diet, whatever their home circumstances, should be central to any national food policy.

John Dickie, Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland; Marion Davis, One Parent Families Scotland; Rachel Jury, Poverty Alliance; 94 Duke Street, Glasgow.

Obesity is not a them-and-us problem. It is an us-and-us problem; a collective problem where we are all culpable for having helped develop an environment that encourages inactivity and poor eating habits.

Most of us now live like battery hens in the foul shed of the malign economy that we have all created. The solution lies with everyone and it means that if we want to be healthy, then we must all help in the creation of an environment that offers healthy choices for all.

The problem is that the solution involves many sacrifices. Are we prepared to make those sacrifices?

Dr Colin Guthrie, The Surgery, 1448 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow.