Brummies are being encouraged to take part in a unique lunchtime photographic event to help University of Birmingham researchers find out more about the region’s healthy eating habits.

The University’s ‘diet in a day’ photo competition, being held on Friday September 7, will urge Birmingham people to enter photographs of their lunch that day into an innovative art exhibit reflecting our daily diet quirks. In the UK’s food capital*, the exhibit will highlight the diversity of the city’s food choices enabling scientists researching health and obesity to focus on how healthy we are.

The exhibit and prize-giving, hosted at the University’s Bramall Gallery on September 28, will launch a citywide day of events called Brum Dine With Me, as part of a major European campaign highlighting the value of research in society.

University scientists aiming to reveal the enormous and often surprising role of research in food production and consumption – and through that to help promote a healthier city – will be on hand at the exhibition to discuss the photos, provide tips and advice about healthy eating and talk about their latest research in food science.

Programme coordinator Dr Eliot Marston, Bupa Translational Research Manager, notes: ‘We want Brummies to send in photos of their lunch to help us build up a picture of the city’s diet habits. Delicious food-related prizes will be awarded throughout the afternoon, so get snapping!’

Send your photos to brumdinewithme@contacts.bham.ac.uk or upload to http://www.flickr.com/groups/brumdinewithme/ to be in with a chance of winning!

*Birmingham was recently chosen as the UK’s food capital by the BBC’s food magazine, Olive.

Photographs are to be sent in jpeg format (preferably high resolution) to brumdinewithme@contacts.bham.ac.uk.They can also be uploaded to flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/brumdinewithme/

Contributors will be advised by email as to whether their photos have been used

For more information about Brum Dine With Me, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/activity/brum-dine-with-me/index.aspx

Eliot Marston is available to talk to the media about the event in more detail. To set up an interview please contact Samantha Williams, Press office: 0121 414 6029 / s.k.williams@bham.ac.uk