| Andrea Milligan , SELB Advisory Teacher in Pupil Personal Development Services, said the pack aims to develop a cross curricular programme to promote healthy eating and physical activity in primary school children at Key Stage 2 using a whole school approach.
Ms Milligan said: “The pack was produced as a response to the alarming statistics recently reported concerning children’s lifestyles and health.
“According to these statistics, one in 20 children in Northern Ireland by the age of 12 is classed as obese with one in six boys and one in five girls being classed as overweight.
“The pack will initially be piloted in P5 classrooms in nine schools across the SELB with the view to developing it for all of Key Stage 2 and providing it for all schools.
“The pack consists of eight lessons, questionnaires for parents and children, food and exercise diaries as well as references to other sources promoting healthy lifestyle changes. The variety of activities and lessons incorporated in the pack endeavours to develop children’s understanding of healthy eating and physical activity choices in a fun interactive way.”
Irene Thompson, Community Schools Dietician with Armagh and Dungannon Health and Social Services Trust, said: “Research shows that children in Northern Ireland and across the UK have diets that are high in fat and sugar and low in fruit and vegetables.
“In addition children are displaying an increasingly sedentary lifestyle with excessive television viewing and long periods spent playing computers or Playstations. It is these two habits that are contributing to the increasing obesity levels among children.
“The school environment is an ideal place for children to learn about and be exposed to healthy lifestyle opportunities. If children can develop healthy eating and lifestyle habits at a young age they are more likely to carry these through into adulthood.”
The programme also provides parents with the opportunity to extend their own knowledge of a healthy lifestyle and actively support the programme by encouraging their children to make positive lifestyle changes. |
