Nutrition students Promoting Healthy Eating

The second year BSc (Hons) Public Health Nutrition students have promoted healthy eating messages to staff, students and members of the public over the last week.

They started off on Monday 4 April at City Campus highlighting the fat and sugar content of popular drinks and snacks to help raise awareness of healthy and not so healthy choices. On Tuesday 5 April a different set of students provided healthy snack samples and ideas, and healthy eating information at the Virgin Gym on Great George Street, Leeds. The gym users were able to get information and advice from the students on a range of healthy eating issues.

Students then promoted healthy eating to members of the public in the light on Wednesday 6 April. As part of this event students engaged people of all ages, encouraging them to make some healthy swaps when eating lunch on the go. The event was linked to the national change for life campaign and focused on the hidden fats found in some convenience foods.  Finally four students attended the Merrion Centre on Thursday 7 April to raise public awareness of the risks of eating too much salt and how to eat less. They presented an eye-catching display that generated much interest from shoppers of all ages. They showed a variety of ways to reduce the amount of salt in what we eat, without compromising taste. Recipes were particularly popular with the public and the students answered questions from the public on a range of healthy eating issues and provided information for all age groups.

This activity forms part of the professional development module and allows students to interact with members of the public offering guidance and advice in an appropriate and professional manor. The students commented how much they had learned from preparing for the event as a team, and also how they had gained confidence in dealing with nutritional queries from the public.