Teens Turn Their Back On TV And Takeaways
| Published: 2nd January 2008 23:21 |
This unique healthy lifestyle programme is helping thousands of teenagers to turn their backs on fast food and computer games, to eat more healthily and to enjoy more active and confident lives.
The unique Free2Go eating programme is available to adolescents who attend Slimming World as part of the Family Affair scheme, which allows 11 - 15 year old adolescents to attend group free of charge with a parent of guardian and with the approval of their GP or health carer.
Teenagers who took part in the new survey reported that since joining Slimming World's programme, they on average now:
- eat 30% fewer takeaways and fast food
- play computer games 17% less often
- watch 28% less TV
- spend 21% more time playing sport
- eat 45% less unhealthy snack food
- are 33% more likely to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day
- spend 10% more time out with their friends
Friendly group support and practical advice on food and activity are the keys to helping Britain's teenagers say ‘no' to unhealthy habits, reveals the detailed new study.
Before joining Slimming World's Family Affair scheme, both girls and boys surveyed reported that their biggest worry was that their weight would go up and up unless they changed their lifestyle.
Boys were slightly more concerned about being teased over their weight and being unable to do sports, while girls were more likely to be concerned about not being able to wear nice clothes.
They now report that they are much less worried about their health or about trying to manage their weight, and are much more confident that they can eat healthily for life.
The in-depth survey interviewed 96 boys and girls with an average age of 13, who had been members at Slimming World. Since joining the programme they had each lost an average of 4.38kg (9.7lbs), had reduced their Body Mass Index (BMI) by 2.25 points, and had grown by 2cm (just under 1 inch) in height, during the 19 weeks of the study.
The teenagers reported that they felt the help and advice they received at Slimming World were more than twice as useful as anything they had received from their school or their GP. Far from feeling pressured or humiliated by joining a slimming group, they overwhelmingly said that they enjoy the support and encouragement they find and that joining has given them more confidence in their social life.
"Our study shows that the Free2Go lifestyle plan helps teenagers maintain the energy gap that will keep them on a path towards a healthy weight and away from adult obesity, by growing into their weight rather than crash dieting", says Slimming World's research officer Dr James Stubbs,
Ph. D.
"It's particularly pleasing that in managing their weight, our young members view changing their diet and lifestyle as far more important factors than simple calorie-counting or specialised weight-loss diets.
"The survey also found that the community-based group structure provided by Slimming World left the participants feeling more supported, pleased with the help and advice they received and more confident that they could eat healthily, adopt healthier lifestyles and so be less worried
about their weight and health for the future," adds Dr Stubbs.
Meet your local Slimming World consultant to see how they can help you help yourself...
