Mr Fruitness campaign targets childhood obesity

Tuesday, 21 October 2008

Mr Fruitness, the superhero in the green leotard, standard-bearer for the three-year "Fruitness Enjoy it!" campaign, advises children to keep in shape by eating pears throughout autumn and winter.

Mr Fruitness is calling on a new volunteer from his "fruit team" to help carry the fight against junk food.

As the cold season draws in, peaches and nectarines are making way for pears to spend the next few months spearheading the awareness campaign "Fruitness Enjoy it!".

The project, which is promoted by the EU, Agea and CSO, aims to fight childhood obesity by advocating a fruit-based diet and is targeted at children and teenagers in Austria, Germany, Poland, Sweden and the UK.

In 2006 an estimated 5 million European children in the 5-18 year age group were considered obese, a figure which is set to increase by around 1.2 million year on year.

By 2010, unless effective and widespread preventive strategies are implemented, it is forecast that there will be approximately 26.7 million overweight and obese children in Europe (source: European Childhood Obesity Group).

Rich in simple sugars (8.8%), potassium (130mg per 100g) and vitamin C (4mg per 100g), pears are also an excellent source of natural fibre and have a high water content (85.2%).

All of these elements are essential for balancing the body's functions, especially in children and teenagers.

Pears are a typical autumn-winter fruit which are best eaten fresh, although they lend themselves equally well to simple sweet and savoury recipes that are popular among young and old alike.

One such example is pears and parmesan, a tasty combination that is not only healthy but also easy to prepare.

Italy is the largest pear-producing country in Europe, with an estimated 2008 harvest in the region of 755,000 tonnes. The appealing and varied Italian offering is driven by the prestigious Abate Fetel variety, which is grown exclusively in the Emilia-Romagna region, the heartland of European pear production.

Sweet and succulent, the pear will become the latest ally of Mr Fruitness in the fight against junk food over the coming months.

In major retail chain stores throughout Austria, Germany, Poland, Sweden and the UK, it will feature prominently in a series of promotions aimed at influencing shoppers at the moment of purchase and illustrating the benefits of a diet rich in fruit.

Promoters in participating stores will use fun and entertaining ways to highlight the merits of fruit and the best ways to eat them, as well as distributing information leaflets and fun freebies. These will include CD-ROM video games recounting the adventures of Mr Fruitness and his magical friends.

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