Awards

Steve Pound MP and Rupa Huq MP back in class for JanUary healthy living quiz

14 January 2016. Steve Pound MP has pitted his wits alongside those of teams of primary school pupils in a parliamentary quiz also supported by Dr Rupa Huq MP to promote the importance of teaching young people about healthy eating and hydration at an early age.

Mr Pound and Dr Huq were joined by fellow MP Carol Monaghan in the quiz, chaired by former Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton. They faced off against teams from Berrymede Junior School, Montpelier Primary and Horsenden Primary. The quiz took place as part of the JanUary campaign, which is led by the National Obesity Forum to encourage healthy choices amongst the public and tackle a growing obesity crisis. Ms Skelton has previously completed the Namibia ultra-marathon, kayaked the length of the Amazon, and trekked to the South Pole.

Mr Pound faced questions taken from the Eat Like A Champ programme, a Change4Life partner scheme designed to promote healthy diet and exercise amongst primary schools pupils aged nine and 10 years. The programme is run by Danone and was developed in collaboration with the British Nutrition Foundation. Montpelier Primary, Dr Huq’s old school, eventually emerged victorious after a tie-break round.

Steve Pound MP said:

“Congratulations to all the pupils who took part in the quiz. What they were asked to do in answering questions and speaking in front of an audience isn’t easy. They showed remarkable confidence and knowledge.

“This is the second year I’ve taken part in this event. It is a entertaining activity, but shows the importance of teaching children about healthy eating and hydration at a young age, and also how pupils can be engaged in a fun and meaningful way.”

Dr Rupa Huq said:

“I was really proud to welcome my old school Montpelier primary to the House of Commons which I was a pupil at in the 70s and 80s. It was great to learn about healthy eating with my colleague Steve Pound and Helen Skelton of Blue Peter, particularly as my sister Konnie another Ex-Montpelier girl presented the show in the 90s and early 2000s. To top it all it was great to see my alma mater come out top and Berrymede from Acton finish close behind coming second.”

Professor David Haslam, Chairman of the National Obesity Forum, said:

“Today’s quiz has been a lot of fun, and we’re very grateful Mr Pound for being a good sport and taking part, and to Dr Huq for her support.

“There is a serious message behind what’s been an entertaining event. Young people need to be introduced to healthy eating and good hydration habits at an early age. Otherwise we risk perpetuating a cycle in which they are largely sedentary and consume large quantities of food and drinks high in salt, sugars and trans-fats. That affects their long-term health outcomes. Initiatives like Eat Like A Champ are crucial to tackling this.”

Adam Grant, Managing Director of Danone Ltd, said:

“We are extremely proud of Eat Like A Champ, which since 2010 has inspired 100,000 children across the country to adopt the healthy choices of champions they admire.  Independent research has shown Eat Like A Champ has a positive impact, and we are delighted to be working with partners such as the National Obesity Forum and the Mayor of London’s Healthy Schools initiative to encourage even more schools to take part. We appreciate the support given by Mr Pound and Dr Huq who took the time to participate in and support today’s event.”

www.jan-u-ary.co.uk

www.eatlikeachamp.co.uk

For further information about the quiz and the JanUary campaign, or comment from Professor David Haslam, please contact Chris Rogers (020 7793 2536 / 07720 054189 / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) or Mayar Raouf (020 7463 0698 / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ). Tam Fry, spokesperson for the National Obesity Forum is also available for comment on 07850 138822.