Childhood Obesity

• Children's Health • • Obesity • Feb 22, 10

It was the launch event of ‘Lets Beat It Together’ at the Moreton Community Centre in Maryland Lane today, and was officially opened by the Deputy Mayor. I was invited to attend so went with Cllr Chris Blakeley.

The aim of the event, organised by Slimming World, was to raise awareness of childhood obesity and the outcome if we do not make changes to our lifestyles. There were about 50 people present, with displays from Slimming World, the British Heart Foundation, NHS Wirral, showing ideas how to produce healthy meals on a budget; highlighting changes to a youngsters lunch box to include more healthy snacks and with the help of local leisure centres – how to encourage more activity in our lives. There was a salsa class, yoga exercises and face painting.

I picked up quite a lot of information which I shall read this evening, but did you know:

* 30 million adults in britain are overweight or obese
* Being overweight can shorten life span by up to nine years
* Every year 40,000 die from weight related illnesses
* Obesity puts massive pressure on GP’s and the NHS and costs over £4 billion pounds a year to deal with.

by Leah Fraser
British Heart Foundation