Change the subject
The importance of nutrition education
Change the Subject
“Every kid in every school no matter their background deserves to learn the basics about food — where it comes from, how to cook it and how it affects their bodies.”— Jamie Oliver
Last month, a well-known weight loss company announced that it would start offering free membership to teenagers, and naturally, this caused a substantial media buzz. Nutritionists and public health advocates alike, myself included, had much to say about the matter, and most of it negative. Whilst we can all agree that yes, strategies do need to be implemented to tackle childhood obesity, is inflicting diet culture from such a young age really the most effective way to overcome this? In my opinion, no. Healthy habits are not formed around calorie counting and food restriction, they are formed with knowledge and education.