Five
a 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 reveal
that fun and educational initiatives particularly
those using a whole school approach can help children
make better nutritional choices.
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
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 people
at 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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