PRODUCT & SALES INFORMATION

All cultures from around the world use traditional foods and ingredients to maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Often though, as populations move and migrate, the foods they are familiar with become unavailable or too expensive to buy, so diets become mixed given new ideas and foods.

Ethnic groups often don’t realise that their new favourite foods are making their diets less healthy. This can lead to life threatening health problems, and could explain why minorities are prone to specific dietary related illnesses. For example 31% of Pakistani men have angina compared with 13% of men in the general population, and Bangladeshi women report high levels of stroke (12%) compared with 5% in the general population, The Health & Social Care Information Centre (2006).

To help tackle this trend, East Leeds Health For All (ELHFA) a charity based in Lincoln Green, Leeds, developed five ‘Multicultural Food Map Visual Teaching Aids’ (VTAs) which offer education on how to maintain a balanced diet.

As you may know from reading the rest of my blog, I am working alongside ELHFA in an effort to nationally distribute the VTAs through a joint venture, social enterprise business.

Our VTA products are bi-lingual and use cultural foods traditionally eaten by the 5 ethnic groups:

• Ethiopian
• Pakistani
• Sudanese
• Somalian
• Bangladeshi

The VTAs are A2 sized flip charts, which use a bespoke hardwearing folder design. They are easy to dismantle / store, presented in full colour and offer teacher notes on the reverse of each page. Take a look at some example pictures below:

VTA in flip chart position:


VTA folding design:


The teacher assistance on the reverse of each folding page offers guidance on how to deliver the material, and provide holistic diet information to the audience. There are plenty of interesting hints and tips which engage delegates and promote participation.

The VTAs are based around the Food Standards Agency ‘Eatwell Plate’ and cover:

• The 5 main food groups and suggested daily intake

• Types of vegetables & how to cook them

• Bread, rice, pasta types and how to cook them

• Types of meat, fish, beans & eggs and how to cook them

• Milk & dairy foods, intake information and children guidance

• Food types high in fat or sugar, intake guidelines

As these products are educational aids we are looking to sell them to local authorities, Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), universities, community centres and immigration centres.

If you know anyone who works in these types of organisations, please forward them a link to my blog!

The VTA’s are built to last and comprise a unique design which is easy to transport and store, meaning they can be used anywhere. Given this unique design they are competitively priced at £99, although for multiple purchases a 15% discount is offered.

If you would like to purchase a VTA, or are interested in finding out more (without obligation) then please email me. Click the envelope (top left), or the link below:

Email me

For general enquiries you could always post a comment at the bottom of the page.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Rowan