food for health, events

9th April 2005, Botanic Garden Lecture Theatre, 20 Inverleith Row, Edinburgh

“CHILDHOOD OBESITY IN SCOTLAND - NEW WAYS FORWARD”

There is a childhood obesity epidemic in Scotland. The figures are alarming - 20% of Scottish 11/12 year olds are obese and 10% of 4/5 year olds. The physical and psychological consequences are serious. Studies show that when obesity in childhood is associated with other risk factors there are significant cardiovascular problems ahead. Post mortem studies show that these problems develop early in life. An obese adolescent has has 70% of being an obese adult.

Through the Scottish Executive’s initiative “Hungry for Success”, Scotland is well ahead of the rest of the UK in providing healthier school meals to the standards set by the Caroline Walker Trust working on a whole school / whole child approach and improving school dining facilities. The Hungry for Success project is being rolled out across Scotland. By the end of 2006 every school will have adopted the initiative. The McCarrison Society is concerned that all this good work fail to improve the nation’s health, because there is no recognition of the underlying problem of lack of minerals and vitamins in our food.

Groups with an interest in good nutrition can use this as an opportunity to influence the content and the quality of the food which will be consumed by Scotland’s school children. One such initiative has been taken by the Soil Association with the publication of it’s “Food for Life” programme in 2003. This was launched as a pilot amongst a few primary schools in England and Wales and has been extended to a few schools in Scotland.

The speakers

Dr John Reilly, Reader in Paediatric Energy Metabolism at the University of Glasgow will talk about the scale of the problem of childhood obesity in Scotland.
Dr Reilly’s research is currently focused on childhood obesity interventions and randomised controlled trials aimed at prevention and treatment. These trials should yield very useful information for the future.

Dr Wendy Wrieden, Centre for Public Health Nutrition Research, University of Dundee will talk about the "Hungry for Success" programme. She has carried out work for both her local council and for the Food Standards Agency on this initiative and is involved in research on the impact of community food projects. She is also chair of the West End Community Council in Dundee.

Pam Rodway is the author of the Soil Association’s “Food for Life” document. She will talk about the targets identified for Food for Life Schools to adopt to improve the nutrition content in their school meals services.

Marion Bowles, freelance dietician, member of the McCarrison Society has catered for children in schools for many years. She feels strongly that children will respond to healthy food choice options if the food is presented in a positive manner.