The Big Food Debate one day conference from Heart of Mersey [20 October, Crowne Plaza Liverpool] promises a fundamental rethink on public health nutrition in the 21^st Century.

Heading the debate is International Obesity TaskForce Chair and Professor of Nutrition at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Phillip James speaking on food politics and the need for global food sustainability.
He is joined by Professor Jack Winkler, Director of the Nutrition Policy Unit at London Metropolitan University who will identify the challenges facing the nutrition and sustainable food agendas.

Public health nutritionist, Donna Oberg brings a North American perspective and experience to the implementation of nutrition labelling and trans fat regulations throughout Seattle and King County to improve nutritional standards in food service establishments.

Protecting the public's health is central to the work of the Government's independent Food Standards Agency [FSA], represented at the conference by Deputy Head of Nutrition, Dr Corinne Vaughan.  How the Agency is translating its vision of safe food and healthy eating for all into action will form the basis of Dr Vaughan's presentation.

The FSA's public awareness campaigns concerning the health risks of excessive amounts of saturated fat and salt in the diet will be echoed in Professor Simon Capewell's presentation, Fat, salt and cardiovascular disease - the 1,2,3 of prevention. Simon is Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Liverpool and a Trustee of cardiovascular disease prevention charity, Heart of Mersey, the event organiser.

The food retailing industry, represented by leading supermarket groups including Sainsbury's, ASDA [ Dr Christopher Brown, Head of Ethical and Sustainable Sourcing] and  The Co-operative [Cathryn Higgs, Scientific Advice and Labelling Standards Manager] will take part in an Industry Panel chaired by BBC Radio Merseyside presenter, Roger Phillips.

Over 200 delegates from public, private and Third Sector organisations are expected to attend this ground breaking conference. The Big Food Debate II is set to echo current concerns about the sustainability of today's food production methods. Recent publication by the UK Government of its first food security assessment, Food Matters: One Year On, called for a radical rethink of how food is produced and consumed.

Heart of Mersey's Big Food Debate II takes place at the Crowne Plaza Liverpool on Tuesday 20 October from 8.30am. To register for this event, go to bigfooddebate2.eventbrite.com, or for further information contact Events Northern on 01772 336 639.