Schoolchildren get a taste of good health

A healthy eating initiative has been promoted at St Nicholas C of E First School in Codsall designed to help ensure that children grow up healthy and avoid becoming overweight.

South Staffordshire Primary Care Trusts (PCT) School Nurses, who work in the Seisdon area’s Weight Management Team, visited the school’s sports day as part of a campaign to make physical activity and health eating fun and enjoyable. They also treated the parents/carers and children to a fruit smoothie to round off their day.

The initiative aimed to offer innovative ways of encouraging healthier lifestyles including developing better eating habits and increasing exercise by engaging in regular physical activity.

Cassie Parsons, Specialist School Nurse for Childhood Weight Management said: “Living a hectic life in a modern world often means you are snacking or eating fast food and struggling to find time to be more active. The many opportunities to watch TV or play computer games means we don’t move about as much.

“This all means that 9 out of 10 kids today could grow up with dangerous amounts of fat in their bodies. This can cause life-threatening diseases like cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease - so it’s really important that we do something about it.
By working with children and their parents at this sort of event we can prove that just a small amount of activity and a change in your diet can make a huge difference and be enjoyable.”

In addition to the fruit smoothies, advice on healthy eating and nutrition for the whole family was given to parents/carers and children.

The Weight Management Team works in partnership with Staffordshire County Council Leisure Services to plan a range of activities to help ensure that children attending schools in Kinver, Codsall, Wombourne and Perton grow up healthy. The initiative was supported by the local Community and Learning Partnership and Sainsbury’s, Perton.

For further information, please contact Cassie Parsons on 01785 712841.