Statistics reveal Suffolk fares better than national average on young obesity figures

Latest figures show some Suffolk youngsters are bucking the national trend when it comes to child obesity.

The amount of children classed as ‘obese’ in year 6 of school is 2.2% below the national average, and reception pupils are 1.1% below the national average.

Published as part of the child weight measurement scheme, the figures do reveal, however that obesity amongst young people in year 6 of school inSuffolkis still on the increase , with 16.8% of children of that age being classed as obese, although the rate of increase is below the national average.

The National Child Measurement Programme assesses the height and weight of primary children inEngland. Children are measured when they enter reception, and again in their final year of primary school.

Live Well Suffolk have been commissioned by NHS Suffolk to provide a free 12-week child weight management programme called Alive N Kicking to help reduce these figures further and educate both young people and their families about healthy eating and weight loss.

Alive ‘N’ Kicking project manager for Suffolk, Ali Clements, commented: “One of the key messages is that small changes can make a big difference. This could simply be just reducing portion sizes or swapping a sugary snack for a piece of fruit. We encourage families to spend more time together being active, whether on a family bike ride or walking the dog – anything physical as long as it is fun. Getting children active is just as important as getting them to eat the right things.”

Michael Hattrell, Health Improvement Manager for Suffolk PCT added: “Although Suffolk has seen an increase in Obesity for Year 6, NHS Suffolk have ensured services such as Alive n Kicking are in place to offer a free opportunity for families to learn about small changes to improve their health and reduce risks of Obesity related diseases in later life”

As part of Alive N Kicking, experts in child weight management meet with the young person and their family before starting the programme to chat through their current situation, goals, and whether the programme is suitable for them. Throughout the 12 weeks both the young person and their family will receive healthy eating advice as well as being encouraged to get involved in fun activities and exercise based games.

During the programme of fun activities and games, children are put into age appropriate groups and guided by approachable and knowledgeable health experts who will inspire, motivate and support them and their families to develop healthier habits for the future, whilst making new friends along the way.

Tim Roberts, director of Live Well Suffolk added: “Alive ’N’ Kicking has proven to be a great success in other parts of the country for families that want to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. We support and empower all family members to achieve their goals, alongside other families doing exactly the same – and when the programme has been run previously, 100% of parents have said their child’s eating habits have improved.”

If you are interested in signing up to the scheme or would like more information about child weight management, please contact the Alive ‘N’ Kicking Team at Live Well Suffolk on 01473 229292. The programme will be run in Suffolk by Live Well Suffolk’s partner Weight Management Centre.

Telephone 01473 22 92 92 or website www.livewellsuffolk.org.uk