Forming healthy habits

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

STUDENTS from Patutahi and Waikirikiri schools were among the 20,000 who took part in this year's Zespri Young and Healthy Virtual Adventure programme, which resulted in leisure screen time reducing by 71 percent and junk food intake being halved.

The students from 760 different classes around New Zealand produced stellar outcomes, programme founder Kim Harvey said.

The free six-week programme encouraged children to take charge of their health and make healthy choices in their everyday lives.

By the end of the programme, as well as being more active, 37 percent of children increased their daily fruit and vegetable intake by an extra one to two servings and 66 percent reported drinking the recommended five cups of water a day.

“The results demonstrate how important it is to invest in the health of our tamariki,” Ms Harvey said.

However, now was not the time to become complacent.

This year, an international study led by Imperial College London deemed New Zealand children among the least healthy in the world, sounding the alarm on the state of Kiwi children's health.

“Almost half (48 percent) of children reported eating two to three ‘occasional' foods a day at the beginning of the programme,” Ms Harvey said.

“Encouragingly, over half of this group reduced their treat intake to only one a day by the end of the six weeks, but this reveals how treats have become everyday foods for Kiwi kids rather than an occasional indulgence.”

It was the rise in healthcare costs, much attributed to lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, that prompted Ms Harvey to launch her programme in 2016 to help prevent growing health problems.

“Research shows that the foundations of good health are formed in the first 10 years of life, so it's critical that we find ways to engage children to understand and notice what it feels like when they make healthy choices.

“The children told us that they felt better and were able to pay attention more as a result of taking part in the programme,” said Ms Harvey.

The ultimate goal is to make the Young and Healthy programme available to every New Zealand child.

The support from schools and key partners Zespri and Asics marks the shared ambition of educators and leading organisations to see children become more engaged with their health and fitness.

Each student who participated in the adventure created their own avatar to represent themselves virtually. As a reward for completing real-world tasks such as eating more fruits and vegetables, exercising, minimising screen time and drinking plenty of water, their avatars “travelled” to countries including Japan, Peru and Croatia, alongside Asics ambassadors Ardie Savea, Kane Williamson, Ameliaranne Ekenasio and Samantha Charlton.

Ms Harvey is looking for Kiwi kids who love to help others and are interested in becoming an ambassador for the 2021 programme.

To nominate a child (aged between 7-12) or a school to participate in the 2021 challenge, please visit www.youngandhealthy.co.nz