Arla Foods UK renews its partnership with Leeds Rhinos Foundation, rolling out a new education and nutrition programme to local clubs and schools. The initiative aims, among other things, to tackle a worrying trend of declining calcium and iodine intake among British teenagers.
Through the relaunched initiative “10 Steps to Good Nutrition”, Arla Foods and Leeds Rhinos Foundation will reach out to numerous youth and sports clubs, as well as run 20 interactive school assemblies across the Leeds area.
In addition to practical advice on diet, hydration and exercise, Arla will support local sports clubs with dairy products, including the distribution of selected products such as Arla Big Milk at matches at Headingley Stadium.
Behavioural change and nutritional challenges
The initiative comes on the back of survey data from Arla Foods UK (“Plate of the Nation”), which points to a significant imbalance in young people’s eating habits. Although 76 per cent of British children consider a healthy diet important, fewer than half say they find it easy to eat healthily.
At the same time, the figures reveal a substantial nutritional challenge among the target group, with 18 per cent of teenage girls not getting enough calcium during the years when bone mass is built, while 29 per cent of girls aged 11–18 consume less iodine than recommended.
Strategic public health and category retention
For Arla — the UK’s largest dairy company — the initiative is about both local corporate social responsibility (CSR) and strategically positioning dairy products as a natural part of an active lifestyle for the next generation of consumers.
“At Arla, we believe everyone should have access to nutritious, high-quality food and understand the role it plays in staying healthy. As a business with strong roots in Leeds, we’re proud to be working with Leeds Rhinos Foundation to support children and families across Leeds in building healthier habits that can last a lifetime,” says Danny Micklethwaite, VP of Marketing at Arla Foods UK.
The project also involves Arla’s dairies and head office in Leeds, from where staff and nutrition experts will take part in delivering workshops and educational modules in collaboration with public health authorities.
By Maja Løvstrup
Source: Arla Foods UK
Photo: Arla Foods UK
