A little fast food OK, parents told

Scientists addressing parents in a series of three lectures in Beijing provided tips about feeding children, as food safety concerns have been raised in China.

The lectures were presented at the China Children's Center, an NGO, on Friday.

"Not all fast foods are junk food," said Li Yongjin, a member of Beijing's nutrition association, adding that it's important to balance nutrition over the long term.

Although some fast food may be high in calories, it is okay to feed it to children in one meal if parents provide them lower-calorie food in the next meal, Li said.

Chinese parents have worried about food safety in recent years, especially when the media reported that factories were producing poisoned milk and restaurants were selling expired meat.

"Some Chinese parents overreacted," said Fang Xiang, a professor specializing in food science at South China Agricultural University.

The activity was jointly held by the China Association for Science and Technology and the China Children Center. It was part of the National Scheme for Scientific Literacy program, which aims to raise public awareness of science.