We are what we Eat!

I watched a programme about diet and obesity this evening. Apparently, the fast-food industry has exploded during the last ten years and the evidence suggests that child obesity has increased exponentially...

I know from my visits to the gym that obesity is not just a childhood problem...
Whole families are overweight and more and more overweight children are growing up to become overweight adults. Almost a quarter of children are overweight or obese by the time they start primary school, and more than a third are unhealthily heavy by the time they leave. According to the latest annual figures from the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) contained in a report from the NHS Information Centre in 2009-10 around 9.8% of four- and five-year-olds were classed as obese when they arrived in reception class. But among 10- and 11-year-olds in year six, that had almost doubled to 18.7%. Almost one in four reception pupils was either overweight or obese – 23.1% – while among year six children the figure was 33.4% – more than a third. Clearly initiatives like as healthier school lunches, free fruit in classrooms and growing participation in PE are not making enough of a difference. Unbelievably, it's even worse in the United States where every child eats 30 pounds of French fries and drinks 55 gallons of fizzy drinks every year! 

So what do we do about it? We know that eating is only half the problem. Regular exercise is essential if we want to maintain a healthy weight and preserve our wellbeing. Schools can’t do everything but they are key players in the battle against obesity. We need to provide healthy food choices during the 15% of the time children are at school and because exercise moderates appetite and behavior we need to build in sessions to ensure that children and young people regularly get active during the mornings through programmes like Wake Up and Shake Up. 

Perhaps we all need to wake up and do something!
Chris