Children’s health in the spotlight at national food conference
Children and family health issues will be the main focus of a national food conference to be staged by Queen Margaret University (QMU) and Children in Scotland in March 2019.
The conference, which will take place at QMU’s campus in Musselburgh, will focus on the latest research, creative approaches and current projects aimed at improving food experiences, and the health and wellbeing of children and their families.
It is particularly timely that this event will take place in the same year QMU launches a brand new postgraduate course in Home Economics. The one-year PGDE Secondary (Home Economics) will equip teachers to tackle contemporary issues facing young people, including food poverty, obesity, and the impact of poor diet on health and wellbeing.
Professor Brigid Daniel, Dean of Arts, Social Sciences and Management at QMU: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Children in Scotland to host Biting back: Transforming food experiences for Scotland's children in the spring of 2019.
“QMU has long been associated with food, nutrition and social equality dating back to 1875, but issues surrounding nourishment, health and social justice continue to be a key focus of our teaching and research today. This event will bring together experts from across the country to shed light on how we can tackle serious issues such as food inequality and the impact of poor health and nutrition on child development.
“We look forward to sharing knowledge and experiences with different professionals and agencies which aspire to help Scotland’s young people develop as healthy global citizens.”
Jackie Brock, Chief Executive of Children in Scotland, said: "Ensuring children have positive experiences of food and its role in our efforts to improve the wellbeing of children and their families is one of the most urgent issues facing us in Scotland in 2019. At this conference we’ll be bringing experts from across the country together to tackle pressing subjects such as food poverty, the impact of welfare reform on children’s health and wellbeing, and community ownership of shared cooking spaces.
"Our innovative Food, Families, Futures project and contributions to our 25 Calls campaign are recent examples of the ways that we have been working to get the subject of food reform on the national agenda.
"This event offers the opportunity to share our learning, and work together to build a healthy and sustainable future for children in Scotland and beyond."
The conference, which takes place on Wednesday 20 March, will hear from practitioners and policy-makers in health, education and community planning as well as from well-known food experts — including Chancellor of QMU and judge on The Great British Bake Off, Prue Leith, and Joe Fitzpatrick MSP, Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing.
Notes to Editor
For further media information please contact Karen Keith (Media Relations and Content Officer) at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, E: kkeith@qmu.ac.uk T: 0131 474 0000.
