Less than 1 in 10 Canadian youth are eating the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. With funding from Heart & Stroke and Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and leading edge research led by Dr. Sara Kirk of the Dalhousie Healthy Populations Institute, WeUsThem designed a fun, creative solution that ensures families maintain a healthy diet.
“I am thrilled that the Froogie app has won this award. Healthy eating and active living are two of the most important things we can do to improve our general health and wellbeing. Eating more fruits and veggies is an easy change we can make for a big impact and the Froogie characters are a wonderful way to engage children and families in healthy eating.”, says Dr. Kirk. “I love the creativity that the design team at WeUsThem brought to the app and I am so proud of the app and what it has achieved in such a short time since launch”
Apple also featured Froogie as a “New and Notable App” on the iTunes store, along with being a “Recommended App” within Health Apps as it helps maintain a balanced diet in a fun and interactive way.
“We would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Sara and her team for their dedication to developing this progressive technology to help children make healthier food choices,” says Charlotte Comrie, CEO Heart & Stroke, NS and PEI. “Unhealthy eating is a leading risk factor for chronic disease in Canada and puts children and adolescents at risk for premature heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and some types of cancer.”
Froogie ensures your child receives the proper nutrients on a busy day-to-day basis, while creating a rewarding experience. As users maintain a consistent healthy diet, new characters are unlocked. With a simplistic design, the Froogie app engages children and youth to track their own fruit and vegetable intake.
“Froogie brings healthy eating to the forefront of users’ mind and encourages them to take time for healthy eating. The app appeals to children and youth, encouraging healthy eating habits at a young age while also allowing the child in all of us to also engage with it.”, says Faten Alshazly, CCO of WeUsThem, “I am elated that our team has been recognized yet again for their creativity with Froogie.”
This is the second time a Davey award has been received in Atlantic Canada, both times awarded to WeUsThem. The Davey award is an international award that honours creative works from media, marketing and PR agencies and is awarded by the International Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts.
About Dalhousie Healthy Populations Institute
The Healthy Populations Institute (HPI) was established in 1993 as a Senate-approved research Institute at Dalhousie University. Through excellence in research, capacity building, and knowledge translation, HPI has been a leader in health promotion research in Atlantic Canada and beyond.
About Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is internationally known as one of North America’s most welcoming universities. Founded in 1818, we’re one of Canada’s oldest universities, attracting more than 18,800 students from around the world. The university blends transformative academic programs with pioneering research on Canada’s East Coast.
About Heart & Stroke
Life. We don’t want you to miss it. That’s why Heart & Stroke leads the fight against heart disease and stroke. We must generate the next medical breakthroughs, so Canadians don’t miss out on precious moments. Together, we are working to prevent disease, save lives and promote recovery through research, health promotion and public policy.
About Canadian Institutes of Health Research
At the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), we know that research has the power to change lives. As Canada’s health research investment agency, we collaborate with partners and researchers to support the discoveries and innovations that improve our health and strengthen our health care system.
CIHR was created in 2000 under the authority of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Act. It is an independent agency and is accountable to Parliament through the Minister of Health.
