School Foods: Healthy Children, Healthy Minds

I recently attended the School Foods: Healthy Children, Healthy Minds event at the Royal Society.

There were some excellent speakers on this difficult and interesting topic

Possible new link

Great work being done by Ify in the states

http://www.choa.org/default.aspx?id=2210

RIF Showcase

I presented an oral presentation and poster at DMU's RIF Showcase for the two projects that I have been PI.

The DMU Revolving Investment Fund (RIF) Showcase

From pilot studies into new textile technologies to research collaborations with China and exhibitions by British sculptors, come and discover more about this years latest RIF funded research projects.

Friday 17 September 2010. Queens Building, 10.00 – 14.00 (inc lunch)

Twenty two projects were supported by the fund from January to July 2010. Each project varied in scope from developing new communities for future research collaborations to pilot studies to support future research council grant applications. The event will showcase all the RIF projects and presents an opportunity to view the newer, innovative aspects of DMU research. This is also chance to meet and interact with researchers from across the University.

The event begins at 10:00 am with a short series of talks from a number of the projects followed by a poster session, the lunchtime session will provide an excellent opportunity to network with the all the researchers involved.

Health Literacy

The health literacy and JISC sites may be an option for some interesting TEL research.

EU Funding

Following my meetings with Nottingham City Council, we are looking at future calls and tenders.

Future themes and challenges

Here are my thoughts on future themes, concerns, research areas or developments important to food science and human nutrition:

1. Fortification of food: Should the state intervene by recommending the fortifications of food for public health, for example folic acid?

2. Functional foods: Foods high in phytochemicals and other nutrients which are increasingly being seen as beneficial often attract a premium price and some claims which may be ambitious. The science is needed to back up these claims, studies done on humans.

3. Additional uses: The food industry is crossing boundaries to now have nutrients for example in cosmetics or medical procedures.

4. Self regulation vs state regulation: Product reformulation consumer driven by economics or regulated by the state, for example salt content.

5. Food deserts: Certain cohorts are excluded from fresh fruit and vegetables due to low car ownership, poor public transport and location top shopping areas and markets which increasingly are in more affluent areas.

6. School meals and education: This dichotomy is key to reducing rates of obesity and diabetes. Children and young adults must be fed a healthy and sustainable diet at school and college and be taught the basics of nutrition such as reading food labels, what is fat, how to shop and how to put a meal together.

7. Media and Science: Generally the public’s perception and understanding of Science is low. The overall message of health and nutrition is lost by continual scare stories and bad Science.

PEPSICO

Case Study

PepsiCo Health Report 2010

Graham Basten (GB*) from De Montfort University (DMU) participated in the creation of the PepsiCo Health Report hosted by C3 and Oxford HealthCare Alliance. The report sought to expand on self regulation of the company through product reformulation and sustainability. With the exception of the University of Reading, GB was the only other representative from academia. The series of events highlighted and frame worked discussions which were highly relevant given the new Secretary for Health’s (Andrew Lansley MP) policy statements on the regulation of the food industry.

*GB holds a PhD from the UK government’s Institute of Food Research and clinical nutrition research experience at the Medical Schools of the Universities of Nottingham and Sheffield, with the latter being funded by the Food Standards Agency. Much of this work was reducing risk of heart disease and cardiovascular disease, one of the Department of Health’s top 5 priorities.