UK Obesity Program:
AN after-school fitness and lifestyle programme to tackle the growing obesity epidemic in children is being launched in Lynn in October.
The MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do It!) programme is being rolled out across the county by Norfolk Primary Care Trust after a successful pilot class in Norwich and trials in other parts of the country.
The PCT says it wants to tackle the issue head on as 30 per cent of children in the UK are now overweight or obese – a statistic which has led some experts to predict today's youngsters may become the first generation to die before their parents.
There are 14 places on Lynn's MEND programme, and thanks to additional funding from the Big Lottery Wellbeing Fund, the PCT is able to offer them to families completely free of charge.
They are open to children aged seven to 13 and are held on two evenings a week for nine weeks. They also involve the whole family, and participants can be accompanied by parents, carers and siblings.
The programme will start in the first week of October and a venue has yet to be confirmed, although it will be held at a school in Lynn.
As well as showing that an active lifestyle can be fun, the programme helps families learn to cut fat and sugar in their diet, how to read labels, control portion sizes, set goals and rewards, tell the difference between hunger and cravings and increase their self-confidence.
Activities include games, nutrition sessions, a supermarket tour, a recipe-tasting evening and fun group activities.
Anna Suckling, specialist paediatric dietician and MEND programme manager, said: "We're looking for 14 local families to come on the programme and work together to tackle their weight problems.
"It's a fantastic opportunity for children to get in better shape and lay the foundations for a much healthier lifestyle. This is not a diet, it is far more committed to boosting children's self-esteem and promoting healthy eating patterns and taking regular exercise."
The MEND programme was developed by experts at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Institute of Child Health, and research has already proved that it has lasting results.
A study involving more than 100 children found that 12 months after completing the programme, children had lost weight, were fitter and doing more sports, as well as feeling more confident.
For your chance to sign up for the programme, contact Lucy Stephenson on 01553 816277 and for more information visit:
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