'Nutrition nannies' to help obese families shop

'Nutrition nannies' to help obese families shop

by SEAN POULTER Last updated at 22:39pm on 6th December 2006

'Nutrition nannies': Obese families will be helped to shop

A three year £3 million programme of keep fit classes and healthy eating advice for 5,000 obese children has been unveiled.

'Nutrition nannies' from Sainsbury's will walk supermarket aisles to advise families about what to buy to lose weight and stay fit.

Separately, overweight children and their families will be offered a regime of free gym classes and coaching at local sports centres.

The effort follow recent government figures predicting that unless action is taken now, one in three girls and one in five boys will be obese by 2020.

The project is being funded with a £3 million donation from Sainsbury's, which along with other supermarkets has previously been seen as part of the problem of obesity.

For a hard sell and repeated promotions on junk food high in fat, salt and sugar, have been instumental in driving up industry profits.

The attack on childhood obesity will be co-ordinated by a group called MEND - Mind, Exercise, Nutrition...Do it!

It is described as a unique programme that tackles childhood obesity by involving the entire family in healthy eating and an active lifestyle programme.

The organisation claims to be able to transform the lives of overweight and obese children and their families.

More than 50 Sainsbury's Food Advisors are being trained to manage and lead the healthy eating element of the programme.

Separately, the Youth Sport Trust will identify specialist sports colleges to deliver the exercise element of the courses.

A pilot scheme will roll-out in nine areas in the New Year - West Yorkshire, Stockport, Newbury, Worcester, South West London, Nottingham, Hertfordshire, Upminster, and Sheffield.

MEND research director, Paul Sacher, said: 'This will directly benefit the health and wellbeing of 5,000 families and is the first national campaign of this scale sponsored by a private company.

'It will play an important role in helping to tackle Britain's significant obesity problem.'

The Sainsbury's chief Justin King was involved in a row earlier this year with the supermarket's advertising icon, Jamie Oliver.

The chef and food health campaigner slammed the junk, sold by supermarkets, which end up in the lunchboxes of millions of children.

However, Mr King hit back, saying: 'Dictating to people - on unleashing an expletive-filled tirade - is not the way to get engagement.'

He said: 'While I agree with Jamie's drive to get children eating healthily, his attack is neither correct nor the best way to achieve a change.

'I ate crisps when I was young and drank fizzy drinks. My children do the same and they should be allowed to enjoy them.

'There is no such thing as bad food - just bad diets.'

Yesterday, the company's customer director, Gwyn Burr,(correct) said: 'This(obesity) is one of the most significant health issues we face and through our partnership with MEND we are able to help families and local communities in a very practical way.'