Local obesity experts have launched some top tips for families on surviving chocolate overload at Easter Time.
A set of top tips to help overweight children and their families living in south east Essex to survive Easter has been launched today by child
obesity experts MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition…Do it!).
One in three children in south east Essex are currently overweight or obese, and for overweight children trying to manage their weight, Easter
can be a nightmare as the shops fill up with chocolate eggs. MEND’s Easter hints are designed to equip families with strategies to cope with
the temptation to eat too much chocolate.
Louise Langridege-Brown, MEND Programme Manager for NHS South East Essex, who runs MEND Programmes in south east Essex, said: “Easter is a time when chocolate is everywhere, from Easter eggs to chocolate chicks, and for many families it can be a tricky time to control the amount eaten. MEND’s top tips can help families resist eating too much chocolate at this time of year, whilst still having fun.”
MEND runs free after-school healthy lifestyle programmes which have already helped over 15,000 families become fitter, healthier and happier. As well as finding out about the foods our bodies need to stay healthy, children take part in exciting games and activities and learn how to get fit by being creative with what they do. Everyone has a fun and rewarding time and the whole family benefits.
MEND’s Easter suggestions:
- A treasure hunt for your breakfast: hide real eggs in the house or garden and try to find them, then turn them into poached eggs on toast
- Have an egg decoration competition
- Instead of buying lots of chocolate eggs surprise your child with an Easter art and craft set: make an Easter bonnet or use a kit to personalise your own egg cup
- Get the family out in the garden and have an ‘egg and spoon race’. You could even make it harder by turning it into a three-legged race
- Make an Easter egg hunt with a difference: Instead of hiding chocolate eggs, hide plastic eggs with clues in them. The clues can include active forfeits i.e. 10 star jumps or hop like the Easter bunny before you can move on to the next clue
- Try toy treats instead of filling a basket with chocolate eggs, fill it with little toys – you can even place these in colourful plastic eggs
- Play a game of ‘Pin the tail on the bunny’. Colour a big picture of a bunny (without a fluffy tail) and then once blindfolded see if you can stick on the missing tail
The after-school MEND Programme takes place twice a week for 10 weeks and will be running between April and July at various locations. A limited number of places are available on the courses completely free of charge thanks to NHS South East Essex.
For more information or to register for a MEND Programme in your local area, freephone 0800 230 0263 or visit www.mendcentral.org or phone Louise Langridege-Brown on 01268 464543.
