Jun 21 2010
How to tackle the World Cup the healthy way!
The biggest sporting event of the year is underway, so local child obesity expert MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition…Do it!) has come up with some ideas to get families in the World Cup spirit - the healthy way!
The World Cup is a great time for families to get together, but it can mean they turn into couch potatoes. So the local MEND team has come up with some fun ideas to help the whole family enjoy the football, while being healthy like their goal-scoring heroes.
Paul Sacher, Chief R & D Officer at MEND says “The World Cup is a time when everyone turns on the TV and tunes in to watch the football. Watching the odd game is fine but for some it can be tricky trying to control the amount of time the family is sat in front of the TV being inactive.
“So we’ve come up with some fun ideas for families so they can enjoy the World Cup without becoming a sofa surfer!”
Avoid being a couch potato
MEND recommends that children should spend no more than one to two hours in front of a screen per day. This includes watching television and playing on the computer so don’t win the World Cup for being a couch potato! Plan which World Cup games you want to watch and spend the rest of the time practicing the skills! Why not take a break at half time and try one of these quick ball games to re-energise:
- See how many keepy-uppies you can do in a minute!
- Make a target on the ground with chalk - throw or kick the ball and see how many times you can hit the mark.
- Juggle! Get two small balls and see how long you can juggle without dropping them. When you get really good, try juggling with three balls!
- Jog on the spot – see if you can make it until the adverts finish.
Create a team cheer like an American cheerio, you can do your ‘victory dance’ each time a goal is scored or if your team need some extra support.
If you’re inspired by the World Cup to get more active, remember to keep hydrated! Don’t be fooled by sports drinks. Remember these types of drink help footballers and athletes who are active for a living, but to the rest of us they are just full of lots of added sugars. Choose water for a winning performance!
MEND runs healthy lifestyle programmes which have already helped over 20,000 families improve their diets and activity levels. The 10 week MEND Programme includes a series of sessions to get the whole family involved in helping children to change their eating and exercise habits, while learning about nutrition, therefore promoting sustained improvements in overall health, fitness and wellbeing.
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.
For more information or to register for a MEND Programme in your local area, call freephone 0800 230 0263 or visit www.mendcentral.org
Notes to Editor:
About MEND
· MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition...Do it!) runs healthy living programmes for children and their families aged 2 – 13 years old in their local community
· The MEND Programme was devised by Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Institute of Child Health, University College London.
· The MEND Programme is run in over 400 sites across the UK and has helped over 20,000 families
· MEND’s programmes are developed and tested by obesity specialists for delivery by a range of community based public and private sector partners.
