Change4Life launches
Reported January 15, 2009
An ambitious new advertising campaign to help mums, dads and families eat well, move more and live longer has launched on TV, billboards and magazines.
Experts say without any intervention 90 percent of today’s children could be overweight or obese and at risk from serious diseases by 2050. The aim of the Change4Life campaign is to kickstart a lifestyle revolution for every family in order to halt this rising tide of obesity.
As part of Change4Life there will be extensive support and information to help families and particularly children live healthier lives. Families are invited to call 0300 1234567 to register for support, or visit the Change4Life website.
The Government is galvanising support from everyone in the country, from grass roots organisations to leading supermarkets and charities.
The campaign will help families to understand the harm that fat can cause to their children’s health. It warns that a bad diet and inactive lifestyle can lead to cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Public health minister Dawn Primarolo said: ‘Change4Life has a critical ambition. We are trying to create a lifestyle revolution on a huge scale – something which no Government has attempted before.
We have adopted ideas from successful movements such as Make Poverty History and Comic Relief which involves a wide range of partners, local organisations, commercial companies, charities and, of course, millions of people.
Change4Life is supportive, informative and reassuring – it’s not about telling families what to do and what to eat. We want families to engage with the campaign and understand that obesity is not someone else’s problem – it’s all of our problem.’
Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldson said: ‘There are two key things we can do to be healthier. Eat healthier food and be more active.
Being active and eating well does not have to be expensive and it doesn’t have to be difficult. We need to engage with parents and support families to change their lifestyles for the better. Change4Life provides that support.
Whatever their weight, children need to eat well and be active. Children who are carrying around too much fat in their bodies, are at risk of developing a host of serious illnesses including heart disease, cancer and diabetes in later life.
Healthy living should not be underestimated – and it’s never too late, obesity is a medical problem that can be reversed quickly. With the exception of quitting smoking, keeping a healthy body is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of getting cancer.’ The adverts will invite people to find out more by searching online for ‘Change4Life’ or calling 0300 1234567.
Once a person has called or registered for advice they will be able to have a discussion with an adviser. If a person wants specific advice on healthy eating or activity they will be referred to a specialist trained by Change4Llife scientific advisers. All callers will be offered the opportunity to receive further information as the campaign develops to ensure that they get the help they need.
Visitors to the Change4Life website will be able to do a postcode search to find local services such as cookery clubs, after-school activities and sporting facilities in their local areas. In total there will be in the region of 45,000 relevant contacts in England.