Already committed in DigestScience, Roquette is supporting through a financial help the Territorial Community Flandre Lys¹ , in the scope of local implementation of the EPODE program. Indeed, the territorial Community, partner of EPODE, is also a member of a French network of "healthy towns" linked to the French PNNS: Programme National Nutrition Santé² (National program on Nutrition and Health). 

What is EPODE? Initiated and co-directed by Dr Jean-Michel Borys, himself a longtime partner and adviser for Nutritional Sciences at Roquette, is a "coordinated approach allowing territorial communities to acquire the ability of setting up effective and lasting strategies for obesity prevention"³ . It has been initially developed in 2004 on the successful model of a study conducted from 1992 to 2004 in two little towns of the North of France (Fleurbaix-Laventie Ville Santé Study⁴) and is based on community and school-based interventions.
 

This federative approach consists in "concrete initiatives, at both national and local levels, that foster better and more balanced eating habits and greater physical activity in everyday life of the concerned children and their families, and of new educational schemes mobilizing local stakeholders within their daily activities". Families and individuals are thus encouraged to adopt healthier lifestyles in a sustainable way because of a favorable environment.

The objective of EPODE is to contribute to the reduction of childhood overweight and obesity using a methodology that places primary prevention at the heart of each town and city's networks. The entire community becomes a channel for a health prevention strategy.

Indeed, convinced of the interest of such an approach and conscious of being a link in the food chain, as an ingredients provider, Roquette is keeping up with the information on the actions completed by the Territorial Community Flandre Lys in the scope of their commitment to this cause: for example, establishment of vegetable gardens in the schools, specific interventions about fruits in nurseries or nursery schools,...

Now, no more only French, the EPODE initiative currently extends to 275 European cities and towns - 225 in France (EPODE program), 32 in Spain (THAO program), 13 in Belgium (VIASANO program), 5 in Greece (PAIDEIATROFI program) and involves over 2.5 million inhabitants.
 

Learn more about EPODE
Learn more about EPODE European Network

¹ www.cc-flandrelys.fr
² www.mangerbouger.fr
³ Pr Boyd Swinburn, Director, WHO collaborating Center for Obesity Prevention, Professor of Population health, Deakin University.
⁴ Romon M, Lommez A, Tafflet M, Basdevant A, Oppert JM, Bresson JL, Ducimetière P, Charles MA, Borys JM. Downward trends in the prevalence of childhood overweight in the setting of 12-year school- and community-based programmes. Public Health Nutr. 2009 Oct;12(10):1735-42. Epub 2008 Dec 23