Food is one of the most important aspects in our lives, we simply cannot live without food. Whilst there is a lack of food in many parts of the world and people die from starvation, in many developed societies food and overeating is causing huge problems. How can we find a balance?
Only 25% of young women are happy with their weight and 20% of young women diet either all the time or most the time. The cost of tackling obesity in the UK is estimated £10.7 billion per year, the number of people classed as ?obese? is set to rise to one in four by 2010 and an estimated 1.15 million men and women in the UK suffer from eating disorder.
Foundations, a charity based in London, offers a number of services and programmes designed for kids and teenagers with eating disorders. One of their most successful programmes is ‘positive choices’, a three step care programme.
The first step is aimed at identifying the underlying causes of being overweight, from simple bad habits to complex psychological issues. Body image and attitudes towards eating are discussed. The project team listens to the kids and gives them tools and motivation to make positive changes in their diet, exercise and attitudes to a healthy lifestyle.
The second stage is about sustainability. It addresses common psychological problems in improving eating behaviour. These include poor self-esteem and low body esteem, entrenched habits and negative self talk. After discussing their readiness to change the kids are shown ways to make achievable and sustainable lifestyle changes.
The third step is about helping others, giving back and creating positive role models. The kids are encouraged to maintain their progress and to share their positive experiences and learning with others. They learn to identify emotional eating and to develop alternative strategies to manage difficult situations.
If you are interested in the work of Foundations, you can find more information on www.foundationsuk.org.
To help families eat well, move more, live longer and be more sustainable the NHS in the UK recently launched the Change4Life campaign - www.nhs.uk/Change4Life.
Text submitted by Foundations UK