Healthy Living

Thirty years ago, there were often one or two overweight children in a class at school. But today, overweight school-aged children are no longer the exception!

Today’s youngsters spend less time doing physical activity and more time consuming the wrong diet.

Presently 1 in 3 children in the UK today are already overweight or obese. More than 70% of obese children and more than 85% of obese adolescents will become obese adults.

With obesity rates ever increasing children are faced with huge emotional pressures, every 7 seconds someone in Britain is bullied! Other risks of obesity include serious medical conditions such as diabetes.

So why the difference, what has changed in 30 years?

• Thirty years ago you'd be likely to start your day with a bowl of cornflakes with full fat milk and a piece of toast. But these days if you bother at all with breakfast you're more likely to eat sugary cereal with semi-skimmed milk and orange juice, or snack on chocolate on the way to school.
• And while children used to walk to school, these days parents just want to make sure you get there safely, so you're more likely to go by car, meaning you're less active.
• In the 1970s lunch in the school canteen would be Shepherd's pie, mashed potato, carrots and peas with rice pudding. Now you're more likely to be tucking into higher fat pizza and fried chips.
• A typical evening meal in the 1970s was a round of sandwiches with meat paste and cucumber, some cake or a piece of fruit and a cup of tea, which was about 510 calories. Whereas now you're quite likely to tuck into a ready meal like lasagne, garlic bread, chocolate biscuits and a glass of milk - a total of 766 calories.
• And now that half of you have a TV or computer console in your bedroom, you're likely to settle down to watch 4 hours of TV after dinner.

BMI (Body Mass Index)

If you are worried about your weight below is a BMI chart to compare against.

To work out your Body Mass Index (BMI) follow these simple steps:

• Step 1. Work out your height in metres and multiply the figure by
• Step 2. Measure your weight in kilograms
• Step 3. Divide the weight by the answer to step 1

For example, you might be 1.6m (5ft 3in) tall and weigh 65kg (10st 3lb). The calculation would then be: 1.6 x 1.6 = 2.56. BMI would be 65 divided by 2.56 = 25.39.

BUT... don’t worry if you are over it is only an indicator, and the exercises and tips that follow can help you get fit and healthy!