Three road shows about the benefits of a healthy diet made the rounds of seven EU countries this autumn, boasting the virtues of fruit, vegetables and dairy products to 17 000 people in all. More importantly, the average age of most audiences was between 8 and 12 years.
Overweight children are a growing problem in Europe. The EU estimates 22 million children are fat. Of these, 5 million are obese, a number rising by 400 000 every year.
“When we look around and see the number of overweight children, it is clear that we must act now,” farm commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel said as the shows hit the road in September.
Over eight weeks, the “Tasty Bunch” toured Belgium, France, the UK, Ireland, Estonia, Lithuania and Poland, stopping at a total of 173 schools.
Featuring games and quizzes, the shows were part of an EU campaign to promote healthy eating habits among young people.
The campaign complements the EU’s school fruit and milk schemes, also directed toward children. It includes a healthy eating website where children competed in a treasure hunt with prizes.
The site also offers teaching materials and advice for parents, like what to do about children who never want to try new foods. Tip: try to involve kids in planning and preparing meals.