Nutrition Campaigns
This section will give you more information about the campaigns, their aims, and any resources that may be available.
British Heart Foundation ‘Food4Thought’
The British Heart Foundations’ Food4Thought Campaign considers childhood obesity.
The British Heart Foundation are encouraging parents, kids, teachers and politicians to all think carefully about the food the next generation are eating, and the amount of exercise they’re getting each day.
To accompany the campaign a survey undertaken in 2011 of 2000 11 – 16 year olds found that almost nine in 10 kids surveyed (88%) were not eating the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. In fact, children were more likely to have crisps at lunch (34%) than fruit (31%).
Department of Health ‘5 a day’
‘5 A Day’ is a government led programme which aims to increase fruit and vegetable consumption by raising awareness of the health benefits of eating fruit and vegetables and improving access to fruit and vegetables through targeted action.
The key message of the 5 A Day programme is to eat at least five portions (400g) of a variety of fruit and vegetables per day. This recommendation is consistent with dietary recommendations around the world, including those from the World Health Organisation.
Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption can significantly reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. It has been estimated that eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day could reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as coronary heart 
disease, stroke and cancer by 20%.
disease, stroke and cancer by 20%.To find out more and for resources please go to the 5 a day website.
Food and Mental Health Campaign
The Food and Mental Health Campaign is co-ordinated by the Mental Health Foundation together with Sustain: the alliance for better farming and food.
The Food and Mental Health Campaign aims to increase awareness and understanding of the links between food and mental health, and to press for shifts in policy and practice as a result. 
The campaign is designed to reach:
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Individuals, to understand how food eaten may affect their mental health, and change their diet if necessary
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Government and public sector organisations
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Businesses including suppliers of food
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People who advise on diet and nutrition.
For more information visit the Mental Health Foundation or Sustain website.
The Mental Health Foundation webpage includes the following downloadable resources –
Food and Mood Diary
Nutrients Guide
Podcasts
The Sustain webpage includes the report – Changing diets, changing minds – it pulls together the published evidence linking what we eat to how we feel – from fetal brain development to adolescent behavior through to Alzheimer’s disease.
Go Folic!
Go Folic! calls on all women who might become pregnant to take folic acid each day, as recommended by the NHS because to help prevent birth defects such as spina bifida.
This campaign is led by SHINE (Spina Bifida, Hydrocephalus, Information, Networking, and Equality) and the Scottish Spina Bifida Association.
View the latest news, articles and campaigns.
Royal College of Nursing ‘Nutrition Now’
Nutrition Now aims to raise standards of nutrition and hydration in hospitals and the community.
The campaigns core messages are:
- Nutrition and hydration are essential to care, as vital as medication and other types of treatment
- It is the responsibility of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure patients have the right nutrition and hydration at the right time
- Working practices that prioritise nutrition and hydration can overcome the challenges that stand in the way of excellence.
The Nutrition Now Website contains news, tools and resources, case studies, events and links. To sign up as a supporter email the campaign.
Download tools and resources for example on nutrition in the community, visit the learning zone to access learning aids.