This article is from page 26 of the 2007-03-20 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 26 JPG
THE cool dudes from Mullagh know what is good for them.
Everyday during the month of March they are eating their greens and devouring their fruit as part of Bord Bia’s Food Dudes programme.
The programme, launched by Mary Coughlan, Minister for Agriculture and Food and Mary Hanafin, Minis- ter for Education and Science aims to permanently increase consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables among primary school children both in the school and at home.
Mullagh National School is just one of 50 schools nationwide selected to take part in the programme.
This programme, which was devel- oped by the University of Wales, has delivered effective and long-lasting
results across the primary age range, regardless of gender, school size, and geographic and socio-economic fac- tors.
It is ultimately designed to enable children enjoy healthy diets, and to create a healthy eating culture within schools.
Two of the teaching staff, Mrs Connie Sexton and Ms Brid Keane, of Mullagh National School have attended Department of Education in-service in relation to the delivery of this programme and are currently overseeing its implementation in the school.
The pupils enjoy fruit and vegeta- bles on a daily basis as well as talks and videos explaining the benefits of fruit and vegetables within a healthy hte
More than 30,000 children will
participate in the programme over a three-year period.
The implementation of this pro- gramme was one of the recommen- dations in the recent report from the National Obesity Task Force.
Speaking about the programme in Mullagh National School, Minister Coughlan said, “The results of the National Children’s Food Survey 2005 tell us that currently in Ireland, some one in five children are over- weight or obese. It is therefore impor- tant that we encourage our children to eat healthily and fruit and vegeta- bles are key in that regard. The Food Dudes programme is designed to encourage children to develop a lik- ing for fruit and vegetables through repeated tasting and to maintain this behavioural change over time.”
School principal Séan McMahon
welcomed the initiative.
“Food Dudes is proving to be pop- ular with both parents and children. It has been successful in increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables among children in Mullagh. I see it as a central element of the schools approach to promoting a healthy en- vironment and seeking to instill in pupils a health conscious approach to diet, which will stay with them throughout their lives.
Mar a deir an seanfhocail “Is fearr an slainte na na tainte,” he said.