Project Tomato wins Alpro award
A study into how children can be encouraged to eat their ‘5-a-day’ has won Leeds student Meaghan Kitchen a prestigious Alpro Foundation award.
Meaghan is currently in her first year of PhD study at the Nutritional Epidemiology Group in the Leeds Institute of Health, Genetics and Therapeutics (LIGHT). Her winning thesis, 'Process evaluation of a cluster randomized controlled trial of a school-based fruit and vegetable intervention: Project Tomato' was chosen by the Alpro Foundation's scientific committee as the most outstanding research entry from across the UK & Ireland relating to plant-based nutrition and its impact on health.
The Project Tomato research shows it is extremely difficult to motivate children to eat 5-a-day through activities at school. Instead, it seems that parents hold the key to successful higher fruit and vegetable intake in their young.
Meaghan said: "Parents are essential to improving children's fruit and vegetable intake. Parents need to be supported to take more of an interest in their children's diet. Activities which involve children trying fruit and vegetables, whether at home or at school are more likely to have an impact on their 5-a-day."
Meaghan received a cheque for €2,500 from Professor Peter Shewry, an Alpro Foundation jury member, at an awards ceremony held during the 10th National Nutrition and Health Conference in London.
Meaghan's supervisor, Charlotte Evans said: "We are delighted that Meaghan's hard work in this important area of public health research has been recognised by the Alpro Foundation.
Project Tomato was funded by the National Prevention Research Initiative. Further details about the award and project can be found at: http://www.alprofoundation.org/news-about-the-alprfoundation/?id=19
Posted in: Student education