Child Lifestyle Service

Why children need a healthy lifestyle

Lifestyle habits formed in childhood can have a huge impact on an individual’s health throughout their entire life. Encouraging children to eat a balanced diet and be active, including meeting the daily recommendation of 60 minutes of vigorous activity, will ensure they maintain a healthy weight and are less likely to suffer from ill health or disease in later life.

Many children in the United Kingdom are already experiencing issues with their weight. In 2023 nearly a quarter of year six children were reported to be obese, which increases the likelihood of obesity and related diseases in adulthood. This figure is even higher as some parents opt out of having their children measured, which can prevent them from getting advice and support to make healthy changes.

How do you know if your child is overweight?

It can be difficult to know if a child is overweight, but you can check using the NHS BMI healthy weight calculator. Perception of how health looks in children has changed over the years, and the rise in obesity has left many of us so used to seeing excess weight that we sometimes don’t even notice it. If your child is outside the healthy weight range, don’t panic! There’s a lot we can do to support you into making healthier lifestyle choices and to help your child achieve a healthier weight as they grow.

How can we help?

We offer support for all school-aged children in Essex, and their families.

We provide a judgement-free service tailored to your family’s specific needs. Our person-centred approach provides the support and knowledge required by individual families, rather than a one size fits all programme.

Our friendly, supportive Coaches will work with you to encourage lots of small changes that together can make a big difference.

We work with families both face to face or virtually, and can offer help and advice on topics such as:

• Portion sizes
• Food label reading
• Healthy shopping on a budget
• Physical activity advice and options
• Healthy coping strategies
• The importance of sleep and how to improve it
• Nutrition advice
• Mindfulness and relaxation
• Boosting self-esteem
• Cookery lessons
• Fussy eating advice
• Behaviour change

Not all these sessions will suit everybody, which is why we have made our approach family led. We will work with you to tailor the service that we provide, and the sessions we deliver to the needs of your family to create positive, sustainable change. 

How to get involved

We accept referrals from health professionals, but families can also self-refer.

Please call us on 0300 303 9988 or email provide.essexwellbeing@nhs.net to talk to one of our friendly team members.