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Fivea Day the Bash Street Way
Healthy eating can be fun for children
Rufina Acheampong
Nutrition Division, Food Standards Agency
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Getting children to eat more healthily and to understand the importance of choosing an apple over a bag of crisps might seem like a monumental task. But research projects funded by the Food Standards Agency reval that fun and educational initiatives particularly those using a whole school approach can help children make better nutritional choices. e
In one study the Bash Street Kids cartoon characters were used to encourage Dundee primary school children to eat more fruit and vegetables through a whole school approach. This involved tuck shops and school lunch options; tasting opportunities; posters and
quizzes; newsletters; and curriculum materials. This small pilot study achieved a modest yet significant and positive effect on fruit intake and children’s attitudes to and knowledge of fruit and vegetables through a whole school intervention over one school
year.
Dr Jenny Woolfe, FSA Nutrition Division, said: ‘The valuable experience gained during the process of conducting the study and the positive results of the work provide others with practical guidance towards helping improve the dietary intake of British
children.’
Material developed for the primary school intervention based on the Bash Street cartoon characters has been adapted for dissemination on the FSA Website with permission from D C Thompson who hold the copyright to the Characters. Click on the link below to view: www.food.gov.uk/interactivetools/
educational/bashstreetdiet/
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© DC Thomson & Co. Ltd.2003
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Further information:
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Contact Rufina Acheampong
The Food Standards Agency, Room 808C
Aviation House, Kingsway , London, WC2B 6NH
Telephone: 020 7276 8925 |
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CD-Rom helps teenagers ‘Dish it Up!’
Rufina Acheampong
Nutrition Division, Food Standards Agency
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The Food Standards Agency has produced an interactive CD-Rom to help schools encourage 11-12 year olds to eat more healthily. The Dish it Up! CD-Rom, which has been made available free to UK schools since last Autumn, aims to help teenagers develop decision-making skills and self esteem with regard to healthy eating behaviour. It provides a virtual ‘day in the life’ facility, designed to provide personally relevant situations, environments and dilemmas that face 11-12 year olds with respect to food, and offers insights, information and understanding on food-related issues.
Dish it Up! covers a range of issues, including eating breakfast, snack foods and lunchtime in the school canteen, and addresses themes such as misconceptions about foods/diets, self esteem, peer pressure and physical activity. Its interactive educational games and quizzes provide attention-grabbing fun. Teachers will find it a useful tool across a range of curricular areas such as food technology, home economics, personal social and health education, science and information technology.
As
the Agency has made Dish it Up! freely copiable by teachers, it can also be used by young peopleat home or in after-school clubs.
First reactions to Dish it Up!
In May 2003 the Agency carried out a mini evaluation using a questionnaire sent to secondary schools for feedback on how useful Dish it Up! has been for teachers who have used it. The majority of teachers who responded reported that they and their pupils found the interactive CD-Rom interesting and that it was a useful resource. Some teachers had used it in S1/S2/S3 lessons (Scotland) and year 7/8 /KS3 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Dish it up! has been used in curriculum areas such as Food Technology, PSHE healthy living, food hygiene and ICT using and accessing software. Below are some quotes taken from the questionnaire feedback:
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“Dietary analysis with print outs & comments is excellent as is fridge.”
Berkshire
“Excellent. High level of pupil interest.”
In answer to the question: Which parts of Dish it Up! were most useful? “The fridge and the balance-a-tron.”
Derbyshire
“It is accessible for pupils with moderate to severe learning difficulties”.
Herefordshire
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Wales
“Versatile, fun and informative. Pupils comments: cool,brill”
In answer to the question: Which parts of Dish it Up! were most useful? “Nutrition from the Fridge-o-matic”
Cumbran, Torfaen
“Useful for ‘introduction to diet & nutrition modules in GNVQ”.
In answer to the question: Which parts of Dish it Up! were most useful? “Balanced diet.”
Penbury, Pembrokeshire
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Scotland
“Found it stimulating. An excellent resource – thanks.”
In answer to the question: Which parts of Dish it Up! were most useful? “Self assessment /Quiz & Games.”
Greenock
“Good revision and aid for S1/S2”.
“ Very informative, liked the fridge idea with all relevant up-to-date information. Easy to use."
Edinburgh
“Very useful, fun to use, very user-friendly, informative in a fun way."
Edinburgh
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“Useful and very enjoyable.”
In answer to the question: Which parts of Dish it Up! were most useful? “Food Related issues – canteen & snack
bar.”
Linasharragh
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Further information:
Contact Rufina Acheampong, The Food Standards Agency, Room 808C, Aviation House, Kingsway , London, WC2B 6NH
Telephone: 020 7276 8925; email: rufina.acheampong@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk |
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