08 December 2005

Active Christmas gifts help fight childhood obesity

NSW Minister for Health John Hatzistergos today urged parents and grandparents to give children active gifts this Christmas to encourage physical activity instead of sedentary behaviour.

"I want parents and grandparents to think about giving their children gifts like balls, skipping ropes, sports equipment and bikes this Christmas," Mr Hatzistergos said.

"Physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle for people of all ages.

"Exercise not only helps to maintain a healthy weight, it is also fun and makes you feel good.

"Families should also consider offering a range of healthy food and alternatives to chocolate and sugary soft drinks particularly when children are prone to over-indulge through the festive season," Mr Hatzistergos said.

Some fun and active gift ideas that parents and grandparents could give include:

• balls (basketballs, footballs, netballs, soccer balls)
• beach gear (eg boogie boards)
• bikes
• frisbees
• hula hoops
• scooters
• skateboards
• skipping ropes
• sporting goods (cricket sets)
• trampolines

"These are the gifts that keep on giving: they will give children endless hours of fun, help keep them active and fit and develop important coordination and movement skills," Mr Hatzistergos said.

"We all need to start taking more responsibility for our own health. At the end of the day we are each responsible for our own and our families' diet and exercise. As a community we need to make 'wellness' our priority,"

The Australian Physical Activity Recommendations for Children and Young People recommend that children need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day

They also recommend that no more than two hours a day should be spent playing on the computer and watching television and DVDs.

"Physical activity could be active play with friends and walking, or something more vigorous such as running, organised sports such as soccer, netball or swimming laps," Mr Hatzistergos said.

Parents can help their children to enjoy and maintain an active lifestyle by:

• being a good role model - being active yourself
• being active with your children - walking, cycling, playing frisbee
• finding activities that your children like
• encouraging your kids to join a sporting club or swimming group
• planning family events that are active such as a bushwalk, kite flying or a family soccer match
• turning off the TV and setting limits for the computer and video games.

NSW Health also recommends healthy and sensible eating during the festive season.

Some tips for healthy eating include:

• avoid filling the Christmas stocking with chocolates and sweets
• try non-traditional foods for a change - based on fish, vegetables, fruits and salads
• use a smaller plate to encourage smaller portion sizes
• drink lots of water instead of fruit juice, cordial or soft drinks
• eat regular meals including three main meals and two to three snacks per day
• for snacks, foods low in fat, low in sugar and low in salt are a good idea
• nothing beats fresh fruit and vegetables but nuts, dried fruit or frozen fruit are all good options.

"Your Christmas meal can have a range of delicious and healthy treats without going overboard on fatty foods," Mr Hatzistergos said.

Fact sheets on healthy eating and exercise can be found on the NSW Health website at www.health.nsw.gov.au

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au