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International recognition for Food Dudes

The Bangor University academics behind the highly successful Food Dudes programme, which encourages healthy eating choices in young children and their families, are to receive an award for the way that they have adapted their scientific knowledge for a very practical purpose.

Professor Fergus Lowe and Dr Pauline Horne of Bangor University’s School of Psychology are to receive the Scientific Translation Award (Technology Transfer) from the Society for the Advancement of Behavioral Analysis at their Annual Convention in Seattle in the USA in May 2012.

The Award recognises the development and dissemination of the Food Dudes programme. It is awarded to an individual or individuals in the public or private sector who address socially significant problems using methods directly linked to behavioural analysis or that effectively incorporate behavioural principles.

“At a time when obesity rates around the world are trending upwards and children are deprived of important nutrients found in fruit and vegetables, SABA is proud to recognise the achievements of the Food Dudes programme in improving the diets of children in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sicily, and the US. Your integration of behavioural principles through the many components of Food Dudes interventions is a model for others wishing to impact societally important behaviour,” said Maria Malott Secretary of the Society for the Advancement of Behavior Analysis.

“The Food Dudes project is gaining global recognition for the very successful way that it can improve eating habits.  As well as winning a World Health Organisation Award for its application in Ireland and winning the UK Chief Medical Officer’s Gold Medal Award, the Food Dudes has been adopted by the European Commission to illustrate how governments in Europe can tackle obesity.  This is a project from Bangor University that can make a real impact on the health of people in those societies worldwide that are now faced with such a major obesity challenge. I’m very pleased that the academics involved are receiving the recognition of their professional peers for their contribution,” said Prof John G Hughes, Vice-Chancellor of Bangor University.

Professor Fergus Lowe and Dr Pauline Horne, Directors of Bangor University’s Food and Activity Research Unit, have recently won another prestigious international award.
Along with colleagues from the Irish Government and the Irish Fresh Produce industry, they were invited to Istanbul to attend a World Health Organisation European Ministerial Meeting on counteracting obesity at which the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, Dr Marcos Kyprianou, presented the award.

The award was given in recognition of the success of the Food Dudes programme which the Irish Government, in a major project, is now running in primary schools across Ireland.
The Food Dudes scheme, which is designed for primary schools, uses four healthy eating cartoon characters - the Food Dudes - and a range of other behaviour change procedures to help children develop a liking for fruit and vegetables, encourage them to eat them at home and be proud that they are healthy eaters. 

FOOD DUDES WIN GOLD!

THE FOOD DUDES PROGRAMME has been awarded the top gold medal at the Chief Medical Officer’s Public Health Awards. The award ceremony held at the Royal College of Physicians recently, acknowledges the efforts of all those working to improve the health of the nation and celebrates innovative and successful public health initiatives.

The Award was for a particular project promoted by Wolverhampton Primary Care Trust, as part of their strategy to tackle the higher than average level of childhood obesity in the region.  The Food Dudes Programme will be rolled out to every primary school in the region over three years.  Over 5,000 Wolverhampton children have already participated, and initial research in six of the schools found that children increased their fruit consumption by 54 per cent and vegetable consumption by 48 per cent!

Professor Fergus Lowe, Head of the Food Dudes team and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Bangor University commented “We are delighted that the Food Dudes project has received this very prestigious award, particularly when competition was so strong.  It should help pave the way for the introduction of the Programme into primary schools across the UK and internationally. The Food Dudes programme continues to gather momentum and is now planned for all schools in Ireland and is being introduced to a number of other countries”

Dr Adrian Phillips, Director of Public Health for Wolverhampton, added: “Food Dudes is a really exciting and fun way to encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables.  We are extremely proud of the difference we’ve made to children in Wolverhampton and that our efforts have been recognised through this national award.”

From left to right: Ms Charlotte Cameron, Prof. Fergus Lowe, Ms Gloria Rye, Sir Liam Donaldson (Chief Medical Officer), Dr. Louise Massey, Ms Jane Morris