Helping children to develop healthy habits around diet and physical activity
- Helping children to develop a healthy weight and healthy lifestyles is a key public health priority.
- Children who are a healthy weight are more likely to have good physical and mental health and wellbeing, as well as better levels of self-esteem and sleep. They also have better educational outcomes, lower levels of absence from school, and are less likely to experience bullying.
- Children who are a healthy weight are also less likely to grow up to be overweight adults, and therefore have less chance of developing poor health or diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
- Below are a number of resources, links and information that can help schools with promoting healthy eating and healthy weight with staff, pupils, and families.
Resources, links, and information
Healthy packed lunch guidance
Aimed predominantly at primary school families
School Zone
A Public Health England webpage offering curriculum-linked resources and inspiration to help teach children about healthy eating and being active. PHE School Zone. Their Healthy eating pages provide English and Maths teaching resources and whole-school materials to support teachers to educate pupils about how much sugar is in their everyday food and drink, and to empower them and their families to make healthier choices:
Talking to your child about weight – a guide
The University of Bath has produced Talking to your child about weight: a guide for parents and caregivers of children aged 4-11 years (bath.ac.uk). This provides parents, guardians, and caregivers with practical advice about both what to say, and how to say it in terms of issues around young people’s weight
E-learning session
An E-learning session for professionals is available to support them in using the ‘Talking to you child about weight’ (University of Bath) resource with families: Home – Using the resource ‘Talking to your child about weight’ (bath.ac.uk)
NHS Food Scanner app
This is an app to help pupils explore what is in their food and drink and swap unhealthy foods that are high in saturated fat, sugar, and salt, to healthier choices. The app is free to download
Our Healthy Year
Resources to help encourage healthy habits during a child’s first year at school and to help older kids build on the habits they need for secondary school and for life:
Raising the Issue of healthy weight training
This free, pre-recorded training module will provide information to help professionals start the conversation with a family about the healthy weight of a child. Providing advice and guidance along with tools that can be used.
Eating Disorders: BEAT
is the UK’s eating disorder charity that provides a range of information and support
NCMP – National Child Measurement Programme information
Support for families for when they receive the letter after their child’s school height and weight check
NCMP: Other information
Other information about the NCMP can be found here: NCMP – Healthy Schools North Yorkshire
Healthy weight and oral health resource bank
A collection of resources and weblinks to information about oral health and healthy weight
Supporting Resources
There are a range of other supporting resources and information available in the resources section of the healthy schools website