Living the lighter life

More than a third of Hull children are overweight - and that can lead to heart disease and diabetes in later life. But help is available...

"I've slimmed down so much that I had to get a new school uniform." - Chloe Hobson

Exercising at the gym, walking, trampolining, swimming, and dancing are just some of the activities that helped 13-year-old Chloe Hobson lose weight.
Her confidence increased as her dress size fell - from a size 18 to a much slimmer and healthier size 14.
And one of her new found past-times is shopping for clothes with her mum - because for the first time in years she can fit into the fashionable clothes she wants.
"I used to feel left out, as I couldn't join in with my friends when they played sport," says Chloe. "Now all that has changed because I've got more energy.
"I'm also finding that my concentration has improved and I'm doing better at school in English and maths. I've slimmed down so much that I had to get a new school uniform."

Family focus

Chloe slimmed down by attending a MEND course (which stands for Mind, Exercise, Nutrition ... Do It!) at her school, St Mary's Sports College in north Hull.
She went along twice a week after school with her mum to learn about practical ways of eating more healthily and becoming more active.
The course is funded by Sainsbury's and has support from Hull Teaching Primary Care Trust. It is geared for families with overweight children, and for children who may not normally see themselves as 'sporty' or engage in competitive physical activities.
MEND encourages children and parents to:

• Set goals to reach and maintain a healthy weight.
• Develop positive attitudes to healthy eating and physical activity.
• Understand the difference between hunger and cravings.
• Learn how to curb comfort eating
• Choose nutritious food, such as wholegrain breads and cereals and low-fat dairy products.
• Eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
• Learn how to make healthy food choices at a glance, including reading and interpreting food labels and how not to be fooled by deceptive packaging.
• Understand the benefits of eating together as a family.
• Make healthy school dinner and packed lunch choices.

Approval of teachers: Dave Vickers, assistant head teacher of St Mary's Sports College, says the MEND course has positive benefits for pupils' health

Committing to change

"The course was a real eye opener," says Chloe's mum, Hazel Hobson. "We learned how deceptive food labelling can be, such as those on breakfast cereals, which lead you to think the products are healthy but are in fact full of sugar.
"Chloe and I now do a lot of cooking at home together. We bake scones for her school lunch box to remove the need for chocolate bars and crisps, and we go for wholemeal rather than white bread.
"We prepare meals with fresh ingredients instead of eating processed foods, and we also exercise together and go swimming at Beverley Road Baths.
"The course was excellent, good fun, and very motivational. I learned a lot and simply making small changes to Chloe's diet, and encouraging her to exercise more, made a massive difference.
"We are really pleased with the results and we are determined to keep on putting into use what we have learned."

Ask the expert

Overweight and obese children - identified as having excessive body fat - run the risk of a whole host of health problems in later life including heart disease, stroke, breathlessness, sleep problems, joint pains, and diabetes.
"It's a problem that is becoming more common," says Dr Verghese Mathews, a consultant paediatrician at Hull Royal Infirmary.
"There are more obese patients coming forward in Hull and more young children are being diagnosed - even severely overweight toddlers.
"If the condition is allowed to continue into adulthood it can reduce life expectancy.
"The best advice is to be sensible, eat healthily and be more active and keep a watchful eye on your weight. If you have concerns, seek advice from your GP."

Working in partnership
Hull Teaching Primary Care Trust tel. (01482) 344700