Children scored goals to help shootout youth obesity, during an event which ran for six days in the biggest shopping mall in Lyon, France, in November 2009. The initiative promoted the Eat for Goals! children’s cookery book, which was created under the patronage of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), World Heart Federation and the European Commission to address the growing burden of childhood obesity, one of the major public health issues of the 21st century.

During the in-store promotion organised by the French publisher, Les Editions Amphora, children took a healthy nutrition quiz and tried to shoot goals just like the 13 internationally renowned male and female football players, who share their favourite recipes in Eat for Goals!. Each participant was offered a copy of the book and the one who achieved the highest score won a collectible football signed by one of the most respected role models of French football, UEFA President Michel Platini.

Mieux manger pour marquer!, the French edition of Eat for Goals!, is available at €12.90 in most bookstores (ISBN: 978-2-85180-761-8). The book can also be ordered online in Dutch, English, German, Polish and Spanish.
The following 13 renowned male and female football players have contributed to Mieux manger pour marquer!: Fabio Cannavaro, Barry Ferguson, Steven Gerrard, Yoann Gourcuff, Thierry Henry, Miroslav Klose, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Cathrine Paaske Sørensen, Lukas Podolski, Birgit Prinz, Carles Puyol, Kelly Smith and Abbas Suwan.

Purchasers of the book will be helping more children as UEFA will donate €1 from the sale of each book in support of the World Heart Federation’s programmes encouraging children to be physically active.

Photos courtesy of BOURGAULT PRODUCTION