Αγαπητοί συνάδελφοι, εκπαιδευτικοί και γονείς.
Το Ευρωπαϊκό Συμβούλιο Πληροφόρησης για τα Τρόφιμα (EUFIC) ανέβασε στο διαδίκτυο την εκπαιδευτική ιστοσελίδα “the Cool Food Planet” για παιδιά για να τα βοηθήσει να μάθουν για την υγεία, την διατροφή και την ασφάλεια των τροφίμων.
What is Cool Food Planet?
Cool Food Planet uses customisable cartoon characters, learning tools and interactive games. The language is simple, clear and includes useful terms on food and nutrition that kids can learn, particularly when playing alongside parents and teachers, emphasising healthy lifestyle choices.
Upon entering http://www.coolfoodplanet.org/ [1], kids are “asked by World Leaders to go on a mission to Cool Food Planet to discover all there is to know about tasty, healthy, fun food!” Kids can download a ‘Mission Card’ that helps encourage them to explore five destinations, each revealing a ‘secret food’ that further motivates their journey to learn and report back to ‘World Food Leaders.’ Adults can follow kids’ progress through their appropriate age level portals, either 6 to 8 or 9 to 12 years, with their own adults portal. Adults will find a table of activities relevant to learning outcomes they wish to deepen with their child or pupil. While playing Cool Food Planet on-line, kids and adults are also encouraged to chose activities they can engage in off-line, in the classroom or playground and at home or at summer camp.
Cool Food Planet is currently available in English and French, with more languages to come in future. To learn more about how you can use Cool Food Planet with kids, what the learning outcomes are and how to extend learning in and out of the classroom, visit Cool Food Planet’s Adult pages [2]. Over time, you will find out what nutritionists, parents, officials and kids have to say about Cool Food Planet through the Cool Food Planet Facebook [3] page for adults. ‘Like’ it now to exchange best practice about using Cool Food Planet with kids. View the online Prezi presentation of Cool Food Planet [4], where you can also find relevant YouTube videos [5].
Why is Cool Food Planet important?
Educating children about nutrition is one of the most important steps towards good health and helping kids to grow to their potential.
According to the regional office for Europe of the World Health Organization (WHO), overweight and obesity in children and young people are major risk factors for chronic disease and are associated with an increased risk of adult obesity and premature mortality. The World Health Organization recognizes that childhood overweight and obesity have reached epidemic proportions in most industrialized countries. The European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) says that approximately 60% of adults and 20% of school-age children in the EU are overweight or obese. EUFIC is therefore determined to help parents fight childhood obesity by teaching children to lead healthy and active lives.
Cool Food Planet does not feature any food or drink brands on the website.
Who created Cool Food Planet?
Cool Food Planet is a product of the non-profit organisation European Food Information Council (EUFIC). EUFIC communicates science-based information on nutrition and health, food safety and quality, to help consumers to be better informed when choosing a well-balanced, safe and healthful diet.
Information found on Cool Food Planet has been subject to a review process by members of EUFIC’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). The SAB comprises a group of renowned experts from across Europe who advises EUFIC on its information and communication programmes, ensuring that all information is based on scientific evidence, relevance and is factually correct. Given the broad range of subjects addressed, a dedicated Editorial Board provides additional insights and feedback.
EUFIC is involved in many different European and global networks and platforms concerning health, nutrition and food safety, and actively participates in EU-funded research projects with many European stakeholders. See More about EUFIC [6] on eufic.org [7].
Play Cool Food Planet with kids
Please share this educational tool with parents, teachers, camp or club supervisors, sports coaches, trainers, etc. If you wish to be re-contacted to conduct a joint educational introduction to Cool Food Planet, or to offer a testimonial about it that we might add to the online presentation or Facebook page, do contact EUFIC [8].
With very best regards,
The EUFIC Team
References:
Prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. WHO Europe FACT SHEET 2.3, December 2009, CODE: RPG2_Hous_E2
Obesity Facts and figures WHO Europe
Quick Facts, European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO)
How big is the overweight problem in Europe? WHO knows! EUFIC Food Today n.80, December 2011