A new programme offering a healthy and fun approach to nutrition and physical activity for children while boosting their confidence and self-esteem is set to be launched in Limerick.
The Way To Go Kids programme is designed to empower families to make small lifestyle changes that deliver real health benefits by becoming better informed about nutrition and activity ensuring a healthier future for their kids.
It will kick off in Newcastle West, Co Limerick starting on Wednesday, 6th April and is the fourth such programme to be delivered by Limerick Sports Partnership with the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The free nine week healthy eating and physical activity programme is aimed at 9-12 year old children who are overweight and underactive.
It will involve both parents and children developing the skills needed to adopt healthier lifestyles and make better choices to promote health and wellbeing for the whole family.
An interactive and fun programme, it aims to stop and reverse the trend towards increasing weight gain in children and will look at how to make being active fun, demonstrating ways to build physical activity into the day and offer tips and ideas for various fun activities.
The aim to make children more active which positively impacts on their self-esteem, mood, energy levels and sleep quality.
Dieticians on the programme will offer some great tips on developing healthy habits for the whole family such as reducing portion size, replacing sugary drinks and encouraging healthier snacking. The emphasis is on promoting healthy approaches to food.
Launching the programme Clare Scanlon, RTE Operation Transformation Leader, from Monagea said; “This is a unique programme, helping families build lifelong healthy attitudes towards food and fitness. It incorporates exercise, nutrition and behaviour modification. Snacking, eating away from home, fast foods and physical inactivity are relevant issues, not only for the child but the family, as a whole. This programme aims to change the whole family outlook together with encouraging healthy eating and physical activity.”
Phelim Macken of Limerick Sports Partnership is delighted to be involved in bringing the fourth Way to Go Kids programme to Limerick commenting :“This is a great opportunity to show kids and parents that exercise can be fun and that there are lots of choices available to the whole family to get moving to enhance their quality of life. Families who previously completed the Way to Go Kids programme were very supportive of the initiative. They spoke very positively about their experiences with some commenting that it helped their children make new friends and enjoy moving with an appreciation for how their parents makes an effort to prepare their meals. We’ll be expecting this programme to be just as successful.”
Also welcoming the programme, Bedelia Collins, Senior Health Promotion Officer with HSE Mid West added: “This is an excellent programme for parents and kids to get involved in. It is designed to be practical but fun and is full of great ideas and tips for a healthier lifestyle. Childhood obesity is an issue and without action our children are vulnerable to problems with bone health and diseases like Type Two diabetes and heart disease”.
The programme will start on Wednesday, 6th April and will run in Newcastle West Community Centre for nine weeks, finishing on the 1st June 2016.
For further information on the programme or to register please go to www.limericksports.ie or contact 061 333 600.