About the conference
There is increasing concern that children of this generation will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. This national event will present the latest scientific evidence on the factors contributing to obesity, allergies and learning, mood and behavioural disorders. These include diet during pregnancy and childhood, modern lifestyles and persistent environmental exposures.
Leading researchers and clinicians will explore the role of natural interventions and offer practical, evidence-based and cost-effective approaches on how to manage and, in many cases, prevent common childhood conditions.
Keynote speakers
Rob Rees MBE Chair of The School Food Trust
Dr Alex Richardson Senior Research Fellow, University of Oxford and Director of Food and Behaviour Research
Professor Richard Sharpe MRC Human Reproductive Sciences Unit, The Queen’s Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh
Professor Jack Winkler Nutrition Policy Unit, London Metropolitan University
Aims of the conference
The conference aims to:
- expose how the uterine environment exerts important ‘programming’ effects on the foetus, triggering biological responses which increase the risk of modern diseases and may have lifelong consequences
- explore unexpected causes of obesity. Are messages intended to tackle obesity outdated and misleading? Discover how nutritional and lifestyle strategies can be successfully employed to prevent and manage weight gain in childhood
- highlight how traditional interventions have been successfully employed in modifying mood, behaviour and learning ability
- examine why allergies have increased and which nutritional agents show best evidence when supporting immune and digestive function in children and teenagers
- demonstrate evidence-informed and cost-effective nutritional strategies which can be implemented by parents, teachers, and providers of children’s healthcare services
- reveal how to manage ‘treats’ and influence taste preferences in children
- encourage discussion between participants and develop networking opportunities between the private and public sectors
