|
A fun way to encourage children to learn about the nutritional contents of food and make healthy choices was launched recently by international sprinter and sports celebrity, Tyrone Swaray at Teversham Church of England Primary School.
Top Grub, a new card game based on the popular children's game Top Trumps, was devised by Dr Raj Lakshman, a public health doctor and paediatrician who lives in Cambridge and developed by Health Enterprise East (HEE), the NHS Innovations hub for the East of England.
Dr Lakshman says: "My intention in developing Top Grub was for children to have lots of fun and learn what different items contain. The foods chosen in this game reflect some of the favourite choices of boys and girls of primary school age. Encouraging children to read and understand food labels is important in helping them to choose a healthy and balanced diet."
Top Grub comprises 33 full-colour cards, contained in a box, each featuring a different food, with nutritional values in terms of fat, sugar, salt, protein, fibre and calories. Each card also contains a fun fact about the food featured.
Robert Donald, Innovation Manager, HEE said: "Top Grub is a great way for children to learn food facts in an easily accessible way. It's very important for children to choose a healthy diet and physical activity in order to live a healthy life. Starting early is key".
Dr Celia Duff, Deputy Regional Director of Public Health East of England commented: "Encouraging children to read food labels and choose healthier options is important if we want to halt the year on year rise in childhood obesity".
Mr Michael Read, Head Teacher of Teversham Church of England Primary School added: "We were delighted to welcome Tyrone to our school today. The children really enjoyed hearing his story and the messages about good nutrition and exercise were delivered in a memorable and accessible way. It was an excellent launch for Top Grub".
Tyrone Swaray was provided through Sporting Champions - an
initiative from Sport England who use sports stars and emerging talent
to inspire and motivate young people.
|
