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Sport and fitness for today’s youth
March 2010 £2.75
Weight scheme hailed as a breakthrough By Louise Cordell THE MEND weight management programme has been hailed as a breakthrough for overweight children in a new independent study. Research carried out by University College London has proved the success of the ‘Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it!’ scheme, showing that participants lost weight and improved their cardiovascular fitness through taking part. Results also revealed that the children lowered their body mass index and waist circumference as well as improving their self esteem and physical activity levels. The MEND programme is a free ten week, after-school weight management course where overweight and obese children and their families learn how to eat healthily and enjoy physical activity. These findings are important as the study is the first randomised controlled trial in the UK to investigate the benefits of a community based child weight management programme. The research project was led by Professor Atul Singhal of the UCL Institute of Child Health, and involved 116 children aged between eight and
12. They attended a nine-week MEND programme, followed by 12 weeks of free family swimming between January 2005 and January 2007. The children were assessed at the start of the programme and again at six and 12 months - and all measurements improved at six months and were sustained at 12 months. Professor Singhal said: “The results suggest that the MEND programme helps overweight and obese children lose weight, at least in the short term. “They also show that child weight management programmes have a positive effect on a child’s health and so could help to address the rising obesity problem in children.” By the final year of primary school, nearly one in three children aged ten or 11 is overweight, according to the latest data from the Government’s National Child Measurement Programme in schools. Harry MacMillan, MEND chief executive, said: “The MEND Programme isn’t a miracle pill for obesity, but what this independent study does show is that child weight-loss programmes that involve the whole family are a scientifically-proven and sustainable solution to the child obesity crisis.”
Rower James helps launch 2012 scheme for children
Teacher Dan Martin is calling on schools around the UK to support him in his attempt to complete a global triathlon. Dan will be setting out in May with the aim of circumnavigating the world, swimming, running and cycling, over 18 months. He is hoping to get involved with 100 schools from across the country by broadcasting live into assemblies from various points on his trip – ranging from the Atlantic to Alaska and from Siberia to New York. How to get involved, Page 3
TWO-TIME Olympic rowing champion James Cracknell has been inspiring schoolchildren as part of a 2012 scheme to get youngsters to become more active. He has been helping to launch SmallSteps4Life, a Food Standards Agency initiative which uses an interactive website to motivate kids to improve their health and wellbeing inside and outside the classroom. The steps young people are encouraged to take include setting themselves challenges like walking to and from school, eating a healthy breakfast or getting more sleep. James said: “I am proud to help launch this unique project that addresses wellbeing in a way that is fun and meaningful for young people. “I look forward to seeing the kind of creative challenge ideas that young minds come up with when they are shared on the website.”