Family fun through free kids weight management programme

February 23, 2016 by Southend Borough Council

Family fun through free kids weight management programme

Tuesday 23rd February 2016

The latest cohort of MoreLife Southend, a programme designed to tackle childhood obesity, is in full swing, with over 40 families taking part in the free 12-week weight management programme.

MoreLife is a national scheme whereby children take part in fun sports of their choosing, and activities that boost self-esteem and confidence. There are also lessons about nutrition and cooking on a budget; including how to interpret food labels and the elements of a balanced meal. The idea is to highlight easy ways to keep the weight off by making small changes to diet - swapping to low sugar versions of favourite drinks, for example - and by taking part in exercise that is enjoyable.

Cllr James Moyies, Executive Councillor for Health and Adult Social Care, says: “People that develop healthy habits in childhood are more likely to be healthy as adults. Taking action early can considerably reduce the risks of developing heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. This is an excellent programme and I am glad that it is making a real difference to local families”

Deborah Hart, MoreLife leader and Healthy Lifestyles co-ordinator from the council’s Public Health team says: “The group leads on what they want to do. So if they prefer football or dancing to badminton or Boxercise, we do more of those things. We encourage them to have a go at everything. Sometimes we’re surprised by the activities they choose, and sometimes they’re surprised by which activities they enjoy.

“During the course we encourage them to work on a project to present at the end. This is about building confidence. They can choose any topic – something they’re passionate about. For example, one young man talked about computing.”

Although MoreLife is about reducing obesity, children aren’t put under pressure by having their weight measured each week. There are before and after measurements of weight, waist size (as this is a marker for diabetes) and the children report how fit and well they feel.

Support does not stop when the programme ends. MoreLife Southend funds a graduate programme – offering advice, peer mentoring and games and sports session. There’s now also a Facebook group so that graduates can continue to encourage one another and share advice.

Since its inception in January 2015 over 130 families have been supported through MoreLife. One parent says of her experience: “I was apprehensive at first as my son has profound autism. However, each child is supported as an individual and my son could take part in a way that suited him. I engaged with other families and we all got to work well with each other. My son enjoyed the sessions; particularly the one where we had to guess different fruits and vegetables whilst blindfolded. The whole programme was a very positive experience that I would recommend to all families; especially those with children who have additional needs.”

Getting involved:

It’s free of charge to take part in MoreLife and parents can self-refer. Referrals can also be made through school nurses, GPs and other health professionals.

The next MoreLife course takes place at the Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre in April. To find out more, or register for the next course, contact Deborah Hart on 01702 212838 or email DeborahHart@Southend.gov.uk