Healthier weight for children
In Britain today it is estimated that a third of children and young people are overweight or obese and without action this figure is predicted to rise to two-thirds by 2050. This means that the majority of schools in the South West have significant numbers of children and young people who are already overweight or obese, or are likely to become so in the future.
These children and young people are more likely to suffer from chronic disease and long-term ill health. This might include diabetes, heart problems, breathing difficulties, cancers, joint and movement problems, depression and low self-esteem. Also, obese children are more likely to become obese adults, resulting in an escalation of their health problems as they get older.
Your Healthy Schools Plus work can make a useful contribution to tackling obesity by encouraging children, young people and their families to adopt healthier behaviour with regard to healthy eating and increased levels of physical activity.
Download Children: moving more, eating well, which provides you with a checklist of things that should be in place in school as a foundation. Use the downloads and links in the right-hand toolbar of this page to help with any gaps you may identify.
The information sheet Healthy weight will help you to identify possible evidence-based actions leading to healthier behaviour outcomes. Although written for the Healthy Schools enhancement model, Planning our change: obesity is also useful for schools doing Healthy Schools Plus.
Change 4 Life
By means of the flagship Change 4 Life campaign, the government is seeking to instigate a societal shift towards healthier eating and increased physical activity. There are some excellent ideas and resources on the Change 4 Life website.
Health Survey for England 2008
The Health Survey for England 2008 focused on physical activity and fitness. The NHS Information Centre has released the findings and data from the survey, read more.
British Heart Foundation: Couch kids report
The British Heart Foundation carried out research to follow up work it did four years ago. The new report encapsulates current research on children’s physical activity levels in the UK. It examines the latest statistics and research evidence on activity levels among children and young people in the UK, looks at differences in participation in physical activity by gender, age, socio-economic status and ethnic origin and considers young people's screen-based sedentary behaviour. It also explores the prevalence of overweight and obesity and examines trends over time. Drawing on all this research, it identifies key policy recommendations for action, read more and download Couch kids: the nation's future.
Eating disorders
The Eating Disorders Association, under its working name beat, is the leading UK charity for people with eating disorders and their families and is celebrating its 21st birthday in 2010. Educate Plus is beat's catalogue of resources developed specifically for schools to help update skills and knowledge so that schools are active in the prevention, detection and support of students affected by eating disorders, read more on the Educate Plus page of beat's website.
Headline projects
Through the work of some schools in Cohort 1 of Healthy Schools Plus we have some really good practice emerging and are keen to share the work as activities for Cohort 2, read more on our headline projects page.
See also our National Child Measurement Programme pages.