New Results Show MEND Programme Can Successfully Combat Growing Problem Of Childhood Obesity

Results from a family-focused treatment and prevention programme for children who are over a healthy weight indicate the effectiveness of the initiative as a key tool to tackle the growing problem of childhood obesity, claims charitable trust Tone Leisure.

One in three children aged five to 13 in the UK are obese or overweight according to the new figures which were recently revealed by independent research company Datamonitor*, with this proportion expected to rise to 40% by 2014.  Among the issues fueling this trend are increasingly sedentary lifestyles, high consumption of ‘indulgent’ foods, and parents’ struggles to maintain a healthy diet for their kids.

Against this backdrop, the MEND programme (which stands for Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it) in Somerset has achieved high levels of success with children who are over a healthy weight and their parents/ carers, and has been effective in promoting behaviour change within the 10 week programme duration.   The MEND programme, operated by Tone Leisure in Somerset and funded by the Big Lottery Fund, helps children and their families become fitter, healthier and happier by offering free healthy living programmes in the local community.

“This new research brings firmly back into the spotlight the very worrying growth trend in childhood obesity and the need to tackle this issue, which is one of the most serious health epidemics facing our society today,” commented Melissa McCarthy, Health Development Officer Tone Leisure. “From Tone’s work with MEND it is clear that it is the family approach that has been instrumental in achieving the positive results we’ve seen, not only for the children but for the whole family.

“The initiative successfully promotes behaviour change and in our most recent 10 week programme the average results for the young people in the group showed an increase of 4.8 hours of physical activity per week, resulting in a 1.6 unit reduction in BMI, an improvement in eating habits and nutritional intake, and a 2cm decrease in waist circumference.  What’s more, the BMI of the parents/carers was also monitored over the 10 weeks and showed an average weight loss of 5kg which resulted in an average reduction of their BMIs by 1.75 units.”

Tone Leisure, the charitable trust and social enterprise that operates leisure centres on behalf of Taunton Deane Council, continues to see an increasing number of families registering to take part in future MEND Programmes.  Since 2008, Tone has delivered MEND 7–13 Programmes to 42 children and their families.

MEND and the National Obesity Forum have joined forces to launch the National Childhood Obesity Week which will run from 5–11 July 2010 to raise awareness about childhood obesity,

For more information visit www.toneleisure.com or http://www.mendcentral.org

-ENDS-

For more information please contact: Gill Vosper / Sarah Wedlake at Absolute PR on T.01392 680 740 gill@absoluteprandmarketing.com sarah@absoluteprandmarketing.com

Notes to editors:

• *Datamonitor report, Kids Nutrition: New Perspectives and Opportunities.   www.datamonitor.com/store/Product/kids_nutrition_new_perspective ..
• Tone Leisureis a progressive leisure trust with charitable status, which operates and manages leisure facilities on behalf of local authorities. www.toneleisure.org.uk
• As an organisation in receipt of the Social Enterprise Mark, Tone Leisure is recognised as a company working primarily for social and environmental aims and trading to benefit people and planet.
• It is one of only a handful of leisure trusts to provide sports and health development services as well as facilities management.
• Tone Leisure’s current facilities are:
  – With South Hams District Council – Dartmouth Leisure Centre, Ivybridge Leisure Centre, Quayside Leisure Centre and Totnes Pavilion
  – With Taunton Deane Borough Council – St James Street Swimming Pool, Blackbrook Pavilion, Taunton Pool, Taunton Tennis Club, Vivary Golf Course, Wellington Sports Centre, Wellsprings Leisure Centre
• Tone Leisure Group Limited has been established as a holding company to enable separate trading subsidiaries. The initial subsidiary was Tone Leisure (Taunton Deane) Limited which was established in December 2003. The second subsidiary was Tone Leisure (South Hams) Limited, which was established in September 2006.
• Tone Leisure operates with a group board of trustees and each subsidiary has its own local Board of Trustees to retain local control.
• – Tone Leisure Group Limited Company Number: 5857912
  – Tone Leisure (Taunton Deane) Ltd. Company No. 4983733 / Charity Commission No. 1110756
  – Tone Leisure (South Hams) Ltd. Company No. 5944280 / Charity Commission No. 1119626