Mr Fruitness

The 'Fruitness enjoy it!' campaign, a three-year project aimed at promoting healthier eating habits in children, is stepping up its summer drive with a series of promotions.

The initiative, run by Italian marketing body CSO, the European Unionand the Italian government agency AGEA, is targeting Austria, Germany, Poland, Sweden and the UK in abid to contain the spread of childhood obesity.

The second year of the campaign will focus on peaches and nectarines, with a number of promoters distributing information leaflets highlighting the fruits' nutritional properties along with illustrated materials, recipe books and CD-ROM games featuring the campaign's frontman, Mr Fruitness.

The €4m project consists of a targeted and integrated programme of activities dedicated to promoting the consumption of EU fruits by providing information about produce characteristics, such as nutritional quality, safety and health benefits.

A study by the Italian National Institute of Nutrition has also found that approximately 350,000 people have visited the www.fruitness.eu website, over 3,100 stores have been involved in promotions across the five target countries, and 150 schools have participated in the 'Fruitness enjoy it!' campaign.