The science of food – breastfeeding, obesity and children’s diets
Posted on 20 February 2009
In her lecture The paradox of breastfeeding Professor Mary Renfrew, from the Department of Health Sciences, will examine the disparity between the evidence on the importance of breastfeeding and the action taken to promote and protect it.
Raising breastfeeding rates could be the single most effective public health intervention globally
Professor Mary Renfrew
It is one of three public lectures at the University of York that will complete the Are You What You Eat? The Science of Food series.
Professor Renfrew said: "Raising breastfeeding rates could be the single most effective public health intervention globally. Yet many politicians, health workers, people in the media and the wider public argue that how mothers feed their babies is simply a matter of personal choice.
"It is important to understand why this is the case and the consequences of this attitude on mothers who want to breastfeed but who continue to face substantial barriers including employment patterns, education and public attitudes."
Professor Henry Leese, from the Department of Biology, will look at how our ancestors developed mechanisms to cope with cycles of feast and famine and the implications given modern lifestyles. His lecture will also suggest approaches to tackling the growing obesity problem.
He said: "We have a strong desire to eat and a ‘thrifty’ metabolism that makes sure nothing is wasted. The problem is that a great many humans now have access to large amounts of highly palatable, inexpensive, energy dense foods. They also have a sedentary lifestyle. Is it any surprise that two thirds of the UK population is overweight or obese?"
The series will conclude with a lecture from Dr Ashley Adamson, from the Human Nutrition Research Centre at Newcastle University. She will be asking whether the concern over the eating habits and exercise patterns of today’s children is justified.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Professor Leese’s lecture Overweight and obesity: What does biology tell us? will be given at 6.15pm, on 24 February, in room P/L001 in the Department of Physics.
- Professor Renfrew’s lecture The paradox of breastfeeding will be given at 6.15pm, on 3 March, in room P/L001 in the Department of Physics.
- Dr Adamson’s lecture Food, activity and obesity in childhood - does it matter? will be given at 6.15pm, on 10 March, in room P/L001 in the Department of Physics.