First 1000 Days Awareness Week 2014

We are excited to announce that next week will be our second annual First 1000 Days Awareness Week! The First 1000 Days movement was launched in June 2013 to highlight the importance of nutrition from the first day of pregnancy right up to the age of 2 and the impact that this has on a child’s whole future – even affecting their health as adults.

Hard to believe? Here are a few key facts.

• Common adulthood diseases such as obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes can now be linked back to the first 1000 days of life.
• Breastfeeding for 6 months or longer can reduce your baby’s risk of obesity at age 9 years by over 50%.
• Food preferences as adults are partially formed during weaning and early childhood – a healthy diet now will make it easier to adopt a healthy diet later in life.
• Good nutrition in the first 1000 days can even improve your child’s reading, writing and mathematical skills when they in school!

The aim of awareness week is to highlight the important message that nutrition now matters forever.

We were delighted to have presenter and new Mum Michelle Doherty to help us out with the launch of Awareness Week. Her baby Max was born less than 3 weeks ago and is a pro at modelling already!

This year, Awareness Week will take place from the 1^st to 7^th September 2014. A week of informative activities and events are scheduled to take place, including:

• All Week: Appearances on TV3 Ireland AM
  • Monday 1^st: Dietitian Michelle Gray will appear with Anna Daly to discuss the importance of nutrition during pregnancy.
  • Tuesday 2^nd: Aileen Regan, Medical Director of Danone Early Life Nutrition will be on the couch with Simon Langley-Evans, Professor of Human Nutrition at the University of Nottingham.
  • Friday 5^th: First 1000 Days Dietitian Louise Reynolds will be cooking a budget friendly recipe with Barnardos.

• Ask the experts: Live Facebook Q&A’s with our nutrition experts
  • Monday 1^st: Ask our Dietitian Michelle your questions on diet during pregnancy and diet while breastfeeding.
  • Friday 5^th: Dietitian Louise will join us after her TV3 appearance to answer your questions on weaning and toddler nutrition.

• Saturday 6^th: First 1000 Days Awareness Week stands in 5 Tesco stores around the country. Each store will be giving away a free recipe book and free First 1000 Days bib to the first 800 people in each store. You can also enter a draw to WIN a €1,000 Tesco Voucher. We will be in the following stores:
  • Dundrum
  • Wilton
  • Clarehall
  • Galway
  • Maynooth

• Saturday 6^th: Neven Maguire will be cooking in the kitchen in Donnybrook Fair, Dublin with 10 lucky guests. For your chance to win tickets, tune in to Matt Cooper Today FM. We will also be giving away one pair of tickets on our Facebook page on Monday www.facebook.com/first1000daysIreland

All information on the First 1,000 Days movement can be found here:

• Follow us on Twitter @First1000Days www.twitter.com/First1000Days

• Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/First1000DaysIreland

• Find all our recipes, nutrition advice and tips on www.first1000days.ie