Family Food First Win National Public Health Award

Our Family Food First Team have won the prestigious National Public Health Award for Contributions to Public Health at the Advancing Healthcare Awards 2015.

Emma Cronly-Dillon (SEPT advanced specialist dietitian for public health) and Lisa De’Ath (SEPT specialist dietitian for public health), working within Community Health Services Bedfordshire, developed a programme called Family Food First to tackle childhood obesity, tooth decay in young children and improve physical exercise. The aim of the programme was to improve the lifestyle of families with young children, particularly those on a low income.

The programme works by encouraging families with young children in Luton to adopt healthier lifestyles in order to reduce the burden of diseases such as obesity and tooth decay. They work with early years education, including nurseries, pre-schools and children’s centres and support them to promote healthy messages to families by ensuring all settings have a food and health policy in place and adopt practices that encourage children to eat well and be more active.

Emma Cronly-Dillon Said: “It’s all about shared learning and improving the health and well-being of our youngest members of the community.

The judges liked the way we approached all areas including the food children eat, the amount of exercise they do and the importance of brushing their teeth we are helping them develop good habits that will last a lifetime.”

Recipes and more information can be found on our website www.sept.nhs.uk/familyfoodfirst