10 Tips for National Childhood Obesity Week


National Childhood Obesity Week is an awareness week that focuses on child obesity issues. It is becoming a growing concern in the UK. In 2014-2015, the National Child Measurement Programme found that 19.1% of children aged 10-11 were obese, and 14.2% were overweight. Also, 9.1% of 4-5 year olds were obese and 12.8% overweight. These figures are high and it is important to recognise this and work together to prevent it.

Being overweight has various long and short term health risks. Obesity can increase anxiety, low self-esteem and depression. It can also effect sleep, raise blood pressure, and continue into adulthood. It is not too late to potentially reduce these risks and encourage a better lifestyle. 

We’ve found 10 tips on how to help prevent childhood obesity.

  1. Do not force your child to finish everything on their plate. If they cannot finish, they may already be full. You should respect your child’s appetite and serve better portion sizes. 
  2. Encourage healthy eating habits – make small changes every day!
  3. Avoid sugary foods and remove temptation from the house. 
  4. Don’t reward behaviour with sugary treats. Try other methods to reward them, find something that they love to do! 
  5. Engage in family time that involves physical activity such as going for a walk, swimming, or playing outdoors. Children need to do at least 60 minutes of activity a day! 
  6. Limit television and screen time and encourage outdoor play.
  7. Replace whole milk with semi skimmed when they are around 2 years old.
  8. Set a good example and make healthier lifestyle choices yourself.
  9. Take your children food shopping, teach them to make healthy decisions.
  10. Focus on the positive, don’t negatively comment on your or your child’s weight, and make changes for the better. 

Check these 50 foods under 50 calories for more support. How are you raising awareness in your school? 

Sources:

Public Health England

WebMD

American Heart Association

NHS

Read our ‘5 simple lunch box recipes article’ for inspiration. 

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