CHC | ‎About CFK

Why CFK matters

There is an ever-increasing incidence of obesity and chronic disease amongst children and the CFK project aims to develop programmes and interventions that work, to help tackle this epidemic.

Our children need help!

A quarter of 4-5 year olds and almost one in two (41%) of 10-11 year olds are overweight/obese in the UK (NHS Digital, 2021)
Source: NHS Digital, 2021

/assets/icons/icons8/health-book.png icon

Obese children are more likely to become obese adults with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers
Source: State of Child Health

/assets/icons/icons8/ingredients.png icon

Over 60% of children’s diets come from ultra-processed foods in the UK (Chang et al, 2021)
Source: Imperial College London

Most of our calories come from food products containing novel, synthetic molecules, never found in nature. We are no longer eating food, but industrially produced edible substances.

Chris van Tulleken, Author of Ultra-Processed People

The CFK Project

CFK is an ambitious project calling our communities to take preventative action. It aims to use up-to-date and robust scientific evidence to deliver key messages in a variety of innovative ways, that inspire, challenge and support those who need help..

Our volunteers have the active support of leaders in nutrition, clinical practice, education and research, who understand what works ‘on the ground’ in their specific areas. They are passionate about helping to reverse the increasing rates of obesity and worsening physical and mental health in young people that can ultimately lead to serious health problems and reduced life-expectancy.

The science is clear about the harms of ultra-processed foods. Our mission is to ensure these facts are no longer hidden, inspiring young people to demand real food instead!

Heidi Giaever, CFK Founder, Nutrition Consultant

How we work

We have a number of delivery teams that meet children in various aspects of their lives; from pre-school toddler groups, to primary and secondary schools as well as primary healthcare settings, dentistry, activity and sports groups, and in the retail environment.

Our aim is for coordinated community involvement so that the same messages and support are provided to children and families from a range of settings.

Experienced delivery teams

Our delivery teams are made up of experienced professionals in their field who know and understand the current mental and physical health challenges children and families face. They employ evidence-based science to find practical solutions that will work in their ‘space’ to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people.

Supported by experts

These delivery teams are supported by a range of technical and subject matter experts such as: medical doctors, psychologists, nutritionists, data analysts, researchers, environmentalists, marketing & communications professionals, social media experts, designers, education experts and many more…

Making a difference

As programmes and interventions are developed we run pilot schemes to assess their impact and get direct feedback from children and their parents/carers. We refine and evolve the interventions to ensure they are practical, usable, inspiring and empowering to children and family units, measuring outcomes to ensure we are making a real difference.

Our Impact

The ultimate objective of the CFK project is healthier, happier children and young adults. Here’s how we measure and understand our progress along this path.

Our hope is that this project will become a springboard for other initiatives in the future and will result in the creation of training materials and tools that can be shared amongst and within UK communities, as well as internationally.