Kids Celebrate MEND Success
10 Apr 2012 09:48:02
A free healthy lifestyle club running in Kilmarnock celebrated the success of its latest group of graduates at a special ceremony at Shortlees Community Centre.
MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it!) is a fun-filled programme for local families with children who are above a healthy weight for their age and height, to help them become healthier and more active.
MEND was developed in partnership with child health experts at Great Ormond Street Hospital to tackle child obesity in a cost-effective way. So far, it has helped more than 30,000 families across the country become fitter and healthier.
During the course, families take part in interactive workshops where they learn about healthy eating and address topics such as portion control. Children take part in a wide range of physical activities while their parents talk about ways to create a healthy home environment and swap healthy tips with each other.
At the graduation event, five local families took part in a special ceremony to celebrate their achievements in becoming fitter and healthier and the children received certificates to recognise their progress on the 10-week course.
Families taking part in the programme in Kilmarnock reported that their children now have more energy and have grown in self confidence. Maureen, a local parent who attended the East Ayrshire MEND programme with her son, said: “MEND has changed over 20 years of routine in my family. To change diet and lifestyle has always been an uphill struggle but MEND has shown me it needn’t be a boring lifestyle of salads and no treats. We have learned ‘MODERATION’ means we do not need to cut everything out of our diet. Sometimes just replacing certain brands and adding more fruit and vegetables, allows us to still have some treats. The programme certainly educated us and we both feel better for it.”
Lesley Fowler, Leisure Development’s Recreation Partnership Officer (Target Groups) said: “With an emphasis on practical, fun learning the 10 week programme is designed to deliver sustained improvements in families’ diets, fitness levels and overall health. There is a real focus on empowerment – putting the child at the centre of a range of ways to make life changes in terms of physical activity, food, self confidence and personal development. By following MEND principles, participants will lose weight naturally and thereby build a foundation for healthy living – for life.”
If you think your child is above a healthy weight and you would like to register your family for the next MEND programme please contact Lesley Fowler, Recreation Partnership Officer on 01563 576684 or Lesley.fowler@east-ayrshire.gov.uk.
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