Children who become overweight at young age continue to suffer later in life

The crucial importance of healthy eating in our formative years is the subject of a free University of Greenwich public lecture.

Food scientist Dr Nazanin Zand will present recent data showing that children who become overweight at a young age are likely to continue to suffer from weight problems into early adulthood and beyond. This can lead to risks of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and have an adverse effect on health and wellbeing for the rest of an adult's life.

The talk, Averting the Recipe for Disaster: Early Feeding and Health, takes place on Wednesday 19 March, from 6.30pm in the Pembroke Building, Medway Campus. Admission is by registration in advance, with places allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

A campaigner for good diet and healthy lifestyles among children and adults, Dr Zand is a lecturer in Food Science & Nutrition in the university's Faculty of Engineering & Science. She spent a decade working in the food industry before joining Greenwich, and much of her work focuses on investigating the nutritional value of baby foods. She gained widespread national and international media coverage in 2012 for her research showing that shop-bought baby meals lacked some of the vital nutrients essential for proper growth and protection against illness.