Over 2,000 schools and nurseries, representing 987,832 children and young people, and 691 workplaces, colleges and universities, representing 505,781 adults, have already registered to take part in the British Nutrition Foundation’s (BNF) Healthy Eating Week 2018 (11 – 15 June 2018); with many more expected to register over the coming weeks.
This year, the BNF is celebrating the six birthday of its Healthy Eating Week and, while the initiative has proved popular within schools every year, the 2018 event is receiving more interest than ever from adults keen to be involved, with three times as many workplace and university registrations compared to this time last year.
BNF Healthy Eating Week aims to increase knowledge about healthy eating and wellbeing, physical activity, food provenance and cooking, by providing schools and organisations with a series of challenges to complete throughout the week, supported by activities and informative resources. The Week will follow five ‘healthy eating’ themes: Have Breakfast, 5 A DAY, Drink Plenty, Get Active and Make A Change. BNF Healthy Eating Week registration packs are tailored for nursery, primary, secondary and adult age groups, meaning that all activities will be suitable and age appropriate.
Roy Ballam, Managing Director and Head of Education at the British Nutrition Foundation, said: “From young children, to high-flying professionals, BNF Healthy Eating Week provides people of all ages with a fantastic opportunity to learn more about healthy eating, and the small daily changes we can all make to improve our health and wellbeing. Participants are encouraged to complete a series of challenges during the week in June, however, this year our materials have been designed especially so that the initiative can be continued all year round. BNF Healthy Eating Week 2017 was the most successful so far, with approximately five million children, students and employees participating. This year, we want to reach even more people and make BNF Healthy Eating Week 2018 the best yet!”
As part of BNF Healthy Eating Week, a survey will be distributed to all participants in order to assess the UK’s understanding of health, nutrition and food provenance; as well as looking into common exercise and eating habits. Last year’s BNF Healthy Eating Week survey hit the headlines revealing how little UK school children and teenagers know about food origins, with a quarter of surveyed primary school children saying that cheese comes from plants and one in ten 14 – 16 year old saying that tomatoes grow underground.