The importance of sport has been included in the Queen’s speech, which will be broadcast on Christmas Day. The Queen’s annual message will refer to the benefits to be gained by communities taking part in sporting activities. People can use regular activity to help create a close community, as well as helping to relieve stress caused by the tensions of everyday life. As the Royal family are all (more…)

A report revealed by the NHS Information Centre has given details of it’s results of the National Child Measurement Programme for 2009-10. The report revealed that over a third of school children are overweight when they leave primary school. The findings suggest that between starting school in reception class and leaving primary after year six, the number of children who are overweight doubles.

The previous government stated that child obesity levels were stabilising as a result of initiatives such as free fruit, healthy school meals and greater participation in Physical Education. However, these latest figures contradict (more…)

As part of the plans to tackle the weight problem in Scotland, health officials will monitor the weight of women and their babies at regular intervals. Women will be weighed approximately six months after giving birth, while their babies will be weighed at one year old and again at two years old.

The proposals by the Scottish government are part of a ten year strategy which will focus on improving the eating habits of mothers and their children. Almost a third of children (more…)

After being made redundant from her job as an employment law expert, Katrina Parsons decided to start her own business which aims to help adults and their children to become confident in the kitchen, and enjoy cooking with healthy food. The business, The Kitchen Fairy Godmother, offers lessons in your own home so that you can learn how to be confident in the kitchen. Children are encouraged to join in so that they can experience (more…)

Prime Minister David Cameron has been warned by Olympic medal winners not to axe the annual grant of £162m, introduced by the previous Labour government to fund a much needed sports programme for 450 School Sports Partnerships. A letter to the PM has been compiled by the top athletes, organised by Gail Emms, winner of a silver medal for badminton mixed doubles in 2004.

Education secretary, Michael Gove, has announced that the funding will be axed from (more…)

As obesity levels rise in the United Kingdom an argument has been put forward for junk food to be taxed. This has been considered in the past by government experts and doctors from the British Medical association marginally voted against a ‘fat tax’ on chocolate last year. America are considering a tax on sugary drinks to pay for health care, whilst Denmark already has its own tax on junk food.

Many experts don’t think that taxing junk food will reduce obesity levels, believing that (more…)