Support our teens in healthy lifelong habits

Gently encouraging healthy habits without making it boring. It’s a tall order but we try our best…

The diet of 11-18 year olds is often more processed and nutrient deficient than any others. Only 8% eat their 5-a-day of fruit and vegetables, and they’re consuming twice the recommended amount of free sugars.

Getting moving can also be an issue. The Lionesses (and others) are great models but, in the UK, around 85% of t(w)weens are not getting enough exercise. Particularly to blame seems to be body image concerns, fear of judgment, lack of confidence, and discomfort with traditional sports settings. Only a third of secondary school girls wear a sports bra for PE, which has a negative impact on their experience of sport, and periods have consistently been reported as the biggest barrier to participation.

So what can we do about it?
✨ Teach our children from a young age that movement is a non-negotiable by modelling that behaviour and helping them to find a form of activity they enjoy
✨ Get them involved in food prep, and understanding the importance of good nutrition in everything from their skin to their immune system and concentration
✨ Support campaigns like Sports England’s This Girl Can (getting women and girls active) and Her Game Too (promoting gender equality within football)
✨ Learn more about lobbying to change the marketing of food – consider signing the Soil Association’s petition to encourage retailers to shift the balance of price promotions towards minimally processed foods.

I grew up in the 80s and 90 when there was a real rise in convenience foods (Special K diet anyone?!) and the holistic aspects of wellness were pretty niche – the emphasis was heavily placed on physical health and appearance.

With all the knowledge we now have, imagine what our teen and pre-teen girls will be capable of if we can close the gap and support them in forming healthy lifelong habits?