An Appetite For Change
Food ~ why we need to change our eating habits and how it can be done
Friday 24 September 2010,
Hoffmann Building, Snape Maltings, Suffolk
Key issues that the 2010 Conference addressed
• Why does the nation’s diet need to change?
• What practical steps are needed to achieve change in the public sector and among consumers?
• What is the role of education in initiating change?
• How do we involve the community?
The Conference ~ An Appetite for Change
We face a health crisis and an impending global food crisis. The United Nations warns that 1 billion people go hungry every day, while in the developed world, excess food has produced an epidemic of obesity and diet-related conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and behavioural problems.
In the UK, poor diet costs the economy £10 billion, of which £7.7 billion consists of NHS treatments which could be avoided if UK diets matched nutritional guidelines.
At the same time, the world population is increasing and natural resources, such as water, soil, oil, minerals and eco-systems, are being continuously depleted. Climate change will aggravate this unsustainable situation.
We must look for solutions. This conference pointed the guests and delegates in the right direction.
The conference contributed to the debate on how to achieve healthier and more sustainable diets, identifying practical ways to bring about change. Our speakers are all renowned experts, experienced in problem-solving. They talked about why change is both necessary and beneficial.
- Mike Duckett showed that better, fresher food at the Royal Brompton and other London hospitals has resulted in quicker patient recovery at reduced cost.
- John Stein from Oxford University explained the beneficial effect of certain micro-nutrients on the behaviour of young offenders, dyslexics and children suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
- Healthy Ambitions Suffolk, looked at the Suffolk situation ~ where only 1 in 4 adults has a healthy diet
- And local schoolchildren and their teachers showed a delighted audience how working with Eastfeast, the Suffolk educational charity, has helped them.
A snapshot of the day
The 2011 conference
We’re already beginning to develop the theme of our next conference, which will take place on Friday 23 September 2011, in the same venue.
More details will follow soon, so bookmark this page.
And if you have any queries, contact: polly@aldeburghfoodanddrink.co.uk
Acknowledgments
We are very grateful to our sponsors, EEDA, Healthy Ambitions Suffolk and Waitrose, for making this conference possible. We would also like to thank our hosts Aldeburgh Music, Adnams the main sponsor of the food and drink festival, and Suffolk County Council. Finally, we are extremely grateful to Lady Caroline Cranbrook who has created this conference.
