A new booklet aims to encourage young people to adopt healthy eating habits and a more active lifestyle
YOUTH WORKERS in organisations across the State are to be offered training to help them encourage young people to adopt healthy eating habits and more active lifestyles.
The announcement came at the publication yesterday of a special booklet by the National Youth Council of Ireland and the Irish Heart Foundation, which aims to help youth workers assist in the battle to tackle growing levels of obesity among teenagers.
It points out that one in five, five to 17 year olds in Ireland is overweight or obese and that this can affect young people both physically and psychologically.
Physical effects can include high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, while the psychological impact can include low self-esteem, negative body image and depression.
The guide provides some pointers to enable youth organisations to help tackle the problem.
It says they should strive to promote participation in enjoyable activity for the different groups within their organisations and encourage healthy eating such as eating breakfast every morning.
Where they get funding for different projects they should avoid the use of company logos or branding when sponsorship is from manufacturers of foods high in fat, sugar and salt.
The guide also gives examples of what organisations can do to promote physical activity, as well as suggesting various warm-up and cool-down exercises, accompanied by illustrations.
In addition, it gives the lowdown on food labelling, additives and what young people should know about calories, fat, fibre, salt and sugar and includes healthy eating quizzes which might be used with youth club members.
Kevin O’Hagan, senior health promotion officer with the National Youth Council of Ireland, said that with the alarming levels of obesity reported in Ireland in recent years, youth workers must play a part in assisting young people to reflect on their diets and help them make healthier choices.
Speaking at the publication of the guide, the Minister with responsibility for health promotion, Áine Brady, said obesity was now one of the fastest growing health problems in Ireland and its increasing prevalence among children was worrying.
She said healthy eating and physical exercise, which were promoted by the guide, were the two most positive steps people of all ages could take to improve their health.
The guide will be distributed shortly and youth workers will receive training in its use.