What about the kids?

Being overweight is bad for your child’s health now and in the future. Overweight children are much more likely to become overweight adults, putting them at increased risk of a range of health problems including high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

You can do a lot to help your child achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Remember, if you’re concerned about your child’s weight then your GP, practice nurse or school nurse can provide help and advice.

Be active
Physical activity burns calories that your child has consumed. It’s also important if your child is to develop strong, healthy bones and muscles. Best of all, physical play is part of childhood, and it's great fun.

Young children should take part in between 30 and 60 minutes of structured activity every day. Structured activity is active play that has been organised and planned. It involves activities that are directed using instructions (usually by an adult) or limited to a certain space. Examples include dance classes, gymnastics clubs and physical games such as Simon says.

In addition, young children should have at least 60 minutes and up to several hours of unstructured physical activity each day. They should not be kept still for more than 60 minutes at a time, except when sleeping.

Unstructured, active play is any play that involves physical activity. It’s a great way for your child to burn calories, and is also an essential part of the way your child learns about themself and the world. Being active with your child is also important and fun for both of you. It could mean:

• playing with a frisbee or ball in the garden,
• hand painting on a large piece of paper,
• playing hide and seek, or  
• skipping or playing hopscotch.

You can build great, and cheap, days out around physical activity, and create fun days that your child will remember forever. Try:

• kicking a ball or throwing a frisbee in the park.
• walking the dog together.
• dancing to music.