The contents of a child's lunchbox can reveal the type of person they are likely to grow into, according to a new survey.

Richard Palmer, head of news for Schoolsnet, the UK's No1 education website, reports.

Is your child a politically-correct picky eater or a lunchbox faster?

The answer, it seems, lies in the contents of those brightly-coloured sandwich boxes that increasing numbers of children take to class instead of having school dinners.

A new survey claims the nation's schoolchildren fall into four categories when it comes to their eating habits. And what they eat - or don't eat - can tell you what sort of person they are going to turn into in later life.

Researchers for Haliborange, a company which sells children's vitamin pills, has identified four types who have different food preferences but, perhaps not surprisingly, have warned that all of their diets may be lacking in essential nutrients.

The four categories are:

INDULGERS Lovers of delicious food which is high in sugar and fat but low in nutrition. They are likely to push aside foods packed with vital vitamins and minerals and may buy extra food from the canteen. Prone to trade their food with the "Lunchbox Fasters'' or the "Politically-correct Picky Eaters". Grow up into: Sophie Dahl or John Prescott.

LUNCHBOX FASTERS Those who don't like their lunchbox meals so prefer to go without. Will be lacking essential vitamins and minerals. Parents may never discover their child's faddy eating as they give away their unwanted food.

Grow up into: Jennifer Aniston or Jarvis Cocker.

FOOD SNOBS Those who want the big brand names in their lunchbox. Attracted by the latest food fads, whether it's clever packaging or supermarket sushi. The nutrient content of their food is patchy as they depend on highly processed, refined foods. Grow up into: Lloyd Grossman or Tamara Beckwith.

POLITICALLY CORRECT - PICKY EATERS Those who go for GM-free foods, free range everything and organic produce.

Most likely to eat a healthy diet - low-sugar, low-fat foods packed with nutrients. Grow up into: Stella McCartney or Sting.

Whatever parents want their children to eat, attempts to provide them with a balanced packed lunch are often sabotaged by their preferences for crisps and chips. An accompanying survey found that 39 per cent of parents fear their children swap nutritious food for unhealthy alternatives.

One in 15 parents admits to knowing their child secretly throws away healthy food and stocks up on junk food instead.

Only one in five (21 per cent) parents are confident enough to believe nothing would tempt their child to swap brown bread for burgers.

It is a worry for most parents, although four out of ten claim not to care what their child eats so long as they enjoy it.

Dr David Lewis, a psychologist who analysed the survey findings, said: "This is a very short-sighted approach. No matter how tasty, a meal that lacks essential vitamins and minerals can leave a child feeling fatigued and irritable.

"If their menu includes too many processed foods, sugar and saturated fats, the result could be obesity and a whole range of associated health problems."

Haliborange brand manager Fiona Wilkinson said: "The contents of a child's lunchbox play an important part in helping them to perform well at school. They can raise concentration, help resist illness and aid in developing long-term healthy eating patterns. It's important that children get the recommended daily allowance of vitamins A, C and D.

"Children's lunchboxes should be packed with a good selection of foods that provide these vitamins and are tasty enough to tempt them."