main content Fun programme for Bromley children fighting obesity

Overweight children from Bromley are being offered an opportunity to take part in MEND - a unique fun-based research study aimed at tackling the problems associated with childhood obesity.  MEND stands for Mind, Exercise, Nutrition and Diet.

Researchers at world famous Great Ormond Street Hospital are looking for children aged 8 to 11 to join a free and supervised special after-school programme.

Starting in May and supervised by qualified health and exercise professionals from Bromley PCT and Active Lifestyles, the MEND programme will run twice weekly for ten weeks at the Pavilion Leisure Centre in Bromley.
The MEND programme aims to improve the entire family's eating and exercise habits to promote all round health, fitness and happiness, rather than focusing on simply losing weight.  Activities will include swimming and studio exercise, nutrition sessions including a Sainsbury's supermarket tour and a celebrity chef styled cooking evening.  The focus will be on eating healthy low fat foods and removing high glycemic index (GI) foods such as white bread, chips, sugary drinks, crisps and sweets from the daily diet.

In 2003, a similar programme was a great success for ten obese 7 to 11 year old children. After three months self-esteem had significantly improved and they all experienced weight loss.

Paul Sacher, the Specialist Dietician leading the study, said: "Childhood obesity in the UK has reached epidemic levels where drastic action is urgently needed to prevent it rising.  MEND has been developed as an effective treatment programme and based on the success of our earlier pilot we are now hoping to recruit more children with weight problems to take part in this larger study."

MEND programme details are available on www.mendprogramme.org

Parents interested in taking part should e-mail: study@mendprogramme.org or call 020 7905 2806.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. The MEND research study has ethical approval and is sponsored by the Department of Health, The Institute of Child Health, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Sainsbury's Supermarkets.  The current study will be rolled out from April 2005, when 100 eight to eleven-year-old obese children will be recruited to participate in a 10 week (one school term) programme in Bromley and Lewisham.  A follow-up period will also be involved to determine if the changes are long-lasting.  Children with a BMI (Body Mass Index) above the 98th centile will be eligible to take part in the study.

2. In Bromley, the MEND programme will be supervised by a qualified paediatric dietician from Bromley PCT NHS Trust's Community Dietetic Service and exercise professionals from Active Lifestyles.

3. Advice and tips from experts at the ICH on preventing obesity and improving health and fitness can be found on: www.gosh.nhs.uk.  Families seeking further advice on obesity should also speak to their GP.

4. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the National Obesity Forum's guidelines now state that rapid weight loss and strict dieting are not recommended for children.

5. A recent Health Survey for England showed that 22-31% of children aged 6 to 15 are overweight and 10-17% are obese.  Experts warn that an overweight 7 year-old has a 41% chance of becoming an obese adult and between the ages of 10 to 13, this risk increases to 70%. It is estimated that associated health risks cost employers and the NHS as much as £4 billion annually.

Press contact: Marcella McEvoy, ICH/GOSH press office, 020 7829 8671