Eat Move Sleep campaign brings widespread benefits

The Eat Move Sleep programme was launched in 2015 and aims to encourage and enable children in Norwegian football clubs to make healthier choices about food, physical activity and sleep.

It is a collaboration between BAMA, Norway's largest private-sector distributor of fruit and vegetables, the Football Association of Norway (NFF) and the EAT Foundation, with research data provided by the Norwegian institute of public health.

"BAMA has been a partner of the Norwegian Football Association for 25 years. Its commitment to using football to get its 'eat healthy' message across has always been strong. Now the slogan is more comprehensive: Eat Move Sleep. It is a fine example of how our partners are ready to adapt to changing environments in order to keep their market position," explained Erik Loe, commercial director of the NFF. Rune Flaen, CEO of BAMA GROUP, added: "By using the wide reach of football, we can spread knowledge about diet, nutrition and physical activity."

The programme provides clubs with a toolbox to help them use their venue, activities and business models to promote healthy and sustainable lifestyles.

The toolbox activities include creating visibility at sports events, providing healthier food options at sports venues, getting high-profile football personalities involved and promoting a fruit scheme that offers sports clubs and organisers of football tournaments all over the country a 60% discount on fruit.

Another key toolbox activity is coaching the coaches. They are taught how they can use their influence as role models to guide children and young people to make healthier and more sustainable lifestyle choices.

The programme is an example of how football clubs and the public sector can collaborate closely with food companies, civil society and academia to bring about positive changes.

This article originally appeared in UEFA Direct 179