Mr Fruitness, the fruity superhero on Facebook

Mr Fruitness, the protagonist of the European "Fruitness, Enjoy it!" project, has a new page on Facebook. The campaign is being promoted by CSO (Centro Servizi Ortofrutticoli), the Italian government and the European Union to encourage the consumption of peaches and nectarines, pears, kiwifruit and plums among children in the UK, Sweden, Poland, Germany and Austria with the aim of fighting childhood obesity.

At the address facebook.com/MrFruitness, users of the well-known social networking site will be able to follow the adventures of the superhero and discover the secrets to healthy eating. The page, aimed at children and teenagers as well as mums and dads, is packed with regularly updated content. Features range from fruit-based recipes specially devised to make wholesome foods more inviting to younger children, to fast facts about the fruits at the centre of the initiative, in addition to tips for parents regarding healthy eating and lifestyles.

There is no shortage of information on offer, including data sheets highlighting the nutritional properties of fruit, and for younger children, fun video games starring the superhero and his Fruit Team. These can be played by following the links to fruitness.eu, the website dedicated exclusively to the European campaign.

Among the most intriguing parts of the page are images and videos showing the real-life Mr Fruitness participating in various events, as well as a fun test entitled "Which fruit are you of Mr Fruitness' team?". By answering a number of questions, youngsters will be able to find out whether their personality most closely matches the pear, kiwifruit, plum, peach or nectarine.

"Fruitness - Enjoy it!" was launched in 2006 as a three-year project, before being renewed for a further three years in 2010. In the five years since its inception, the campaign has educated youngsters in Austria, Germany, Poland, Sweden and the UK about the benefits of eating fruit and keeping active. Through workshops, promotions in leading retail chain stores, in-school initiatives and information materials, including the website fruitness.eu, it has reached in excess of 60 million contacts.