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15/2/2007 - TOP BEHAVIOUR EXPERT SHARES SECRETS OF FOOD AND MOOD

One of the UK's top experts in food and behaviour will tell parents that what they feed their children could directly affect their behaviour at home and school.

Aberdeenshire Council has invited Dr Alex Richardson - Head of the Food and Behaviour Research charity and researcher at Oxford University - to convince mums, dads, carers and health professionals that making changes to children's meals could help their youngsters to sleep better, concentrate more, and feel happier.

She will speak to audiences at three venues throughout Aberdeenshire as part of the Scotland-wide "Hungry for Success" campaign, offering an afternoon and an evening session at each location. The conferences are designed to give audiences a real life chance to ask the questions they can usually only shout at the tv, when celebrities like Jamie Oliver or Gillian McKeith offer pearls of healthy eating wisdom.

In particular, Dr Richardson will focus her talks on the consequences of an unhealthy diet, and the benefits that just small changes can offer.

She said:

"The brain is 60 per cent fat, and yet consumption of the vital omega-3 fats that it needs to develop and function normally has fallen dramatically in recent years.  Official surveys show that many other key nutrients are also lacking from our children's diets. Few people in the UK are malnourished due to low quantities of food. Rather, the type and quality of that food, is what causes real problems.

"Many schools and nurseries have made significant progress, with healthier food options now being presented to children. Scotland has been ahead of England in recognising the importance of good school food. But this doesn't change the fact that what children eat at home or bring for their packed lunches is equally important.  Aberdeenshire Council is to be especially commended for the work they are doing to get the right messages across but there's still a lot of work to be done, and everyone who works with or cares for children has a part to play.”

One family unit who have already reaped the benefits of Dr Richardson’s advice are the Andrews, who have lived in Fraserburgh for the last decade. Debbie Andrews, 40, became worried about her 11-year old son last year, when he was diagnosed as suffering from depression.

Mum Debbie was not keen on using pharmaceutical intervention to treat his condition, and instead decided to look around for alternative ways to help him tackle the blues. In addition to cognitive therapy she found that making changes to Robert’s diet made an important difference.

She said:

“The advice in Dr Richardson’s book gave solid back up to things that I had already read on the internet and other sources. Within weeks of cutting out the food additive groups, in particular Aspartame, found in diet coke and other soft drinks, my son was so much better. He didn’t seem as low, and he was far less irritable and anxious.

“Reading the labels on the food that you buy is important, as some E numbers are extremely hard to avoid. I am looking forward to hearing Dr Richardson speak, and think that her talk will be very interesting for other parents who have not taken on board the fact that diet does affect their children’s behaviour and mood. It is undoubtedly an important factor.”

May Beaton, head teacher of Hill of Banchory School, which is hosting one of the talks, said:

"The changes that we have made at Hill of Banchory include introducing healthy meals, healthy tuck shop food and water bottles in class, but we wanted to give parents and staff the opportunity to understand the reasons behind these decisions. Dr Alex Richardson is an expert in her field and will offer people clarification on the stories they read in the papers every day."
Ends
February 2007

Notes to the editor / picture editor
This release sent on behalf of Dr Alex Richardson, FAB Research and Audrey Blair Hungry for Success, Aberdeenshire, by Jane Nower Axis Media Group, on 0141 889 6868 / 07894607584
To arrange an interview with Debbie Andrews or May Beaton, head teacher of Hill of Banchory School, or to find out more about the links between behaviour and food contact Audrey Blair, Hungry for Success co-ordinator on 07795 978334 / Audrey.Blair@aberdeenshire.gov.uk .
To arrange an interview with Dr Richardson please contact Jane Nower on 0141 889 6868 /07894607584 or contact Dr Richardson directly on 07957 870 085. She will be available for live interview from the morning of 13th February 2007.
The Healthy & Essential Clinic in Rutherglen, run by Dr Tom Gilhooly can provide nutritional support on many of the dietary recommendations made by Dr Richardson. For more information contact Dr Tom Gilhooly on 07976 016728