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Healthy Family (In association with Public Health England) Dr Justin Varney, Interim Deputy Director for Health and Wellbeing (Healthy People) from Public Health England, gives us an insight into the current state of the health of the average UK family. The state of the nation’s health Obesity, poor diet and physical activity are three of the biggest problems to affect the health of families in England. They are directly responsible for many of the preventable conditions such as type two diabetes, heart disease, stroke and kidney disease that are impacting on people’s lives and causing early death. Around 40% of ill health in this country could be prevented by people leading a healthy lifestyle, including eating a balanced diet and being regularly active to improve the quality and length of our lives. We know that choices made about diet and exercise at every age can make a difference to health in both the short and long term. Fundamentally it’s never too late to make a change. Supporting individuals and families to make a healthy choice is at the heart of Public Health England’s (PHE) mission. Obesity Obesity and being overweight is a complex problem and is one of the biggest health issues facing families in England today. People rarely become overweight overnight; obesity is the result of bad choices made repeatedly over time, the extra sugar cube in the daily cup of tea, the treat cakes that become everyday habits, the sugary drink that undoes all the hard work from the swimming pool, the sofa day that becomes supper in front of the TV every night. These everyday habits can lead to piling on the pounds and it’s this gradual weight gain that makes it so hard for families and parents particularly to step in early. There is no single ‘silver bullet’ solution to tackling obesity. Today 1 in 4 people in England are obese and over a third (37%) are overweight. We know that almost one in ten 4-5 year olds are obese (9.5%) and by age 10-11 this doubles to nearly one in five (19.1%). Obese children are more likely to experience bullying, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease as adults. Many of us who struggle with weight issues know that getting back to a healthy weight is a journey that takes time and continued support from family and friends. Families working together to make healthier choices is a great way to help anyone deal with weight issues, whatever their age, and make it fun and part of everyday life. Simple steps to improve the family diet and get everyone more active every day will help the whole family achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Diet Tackling our high sugar consumption is an area of particular focus for PHE. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), an independent expert body, has looked at the link between sugar consumption and a range of health issues, and found that too much sugar is detrimental for health. It now recommends that no more than 5% of our daily calories should come from sugar, down from the previous recommendation of 10%. The government has adopted this as official dietary guidance which now means adults are now consuming over double the amount of sugar, and children and teenagers almost three times as much. The latest statistics from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) showed that sugary drinks are the largest contributor to sugar intake in teenagers. Twenty nine percent of the sugar in teenagers’ diets comes from sugary drinks (16% for younger children 4 to 10 years), one in three five-year olds have tooth decay. Parents and carers can help their children achieve and maintain a healthier weight by following a balanced diet as shown in the eat well plate, choosing ‘me sized’ meals, avoiding sugary drinks and snacks high in sugar, salt or fat. Too much fat or sugar contributes towards excess calorie intake, which overtime can lead to weight gain. continues on p10 8 Primary Times MAY HALF TERM Issue | www.primarytimes.net/nyorks
www.primarytimes.net/nyorks | MAY HALF TERM Issue Primary Times 9
Page 1: What’s On Where for families and
Page 4 and 5: news & views News & Views Do you ha
Page 6 and 7: what’s on where When schools out,
Page 10 and 11: Physical Activity As well as helpin
Page 12 and 13: what’s on where Love Your Clothes
Page 14 and 15: what’s on where Twilight Naval Wa
Page 17: Pinboard May-Hem Circus at Piglets
Page 20 and 21: 20 Primary Times MAY HALF TERM Issu
Page 22 and 23: COMPETITIONS WIN! a family ticket t

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