According to the World Health Organization, the rate of childhood obesity worldwide has increased tenfold in the past four decades. In the case of Romania, the absence of updated official statistics makes childhood obesity a silent criminal. This alarming reality led us to develop in 2023 a complex sports and health education program, “Learn to be healthy”.
Through this program, with the aim of promoting and supporting a healthy lifestyle among children from disadvantaged backgrounds, we have created favorable contexts for the practice of individual and team sports, we have organized information sessions on the importance of a balanced diet, information sessions on themes such as Fair-Play, teamwork and anti-bullying and we provided healthy snacks.
The main activities within the “Learn to be healthy” program:
• Information and education sessions on the importance of a healthy life. During the sessions, the children learn in a playful way about: the importance of hydration; the nutrition pyramid; the impact of alcohol and tobacco on the body both in short term and long term; proper sleeping habits; the importance of physical activity, emotional health and managing emotions etc.
• Information sessions on topics such as Fair-Play, teamwork and anti-bullying. The children read stories on one of the topics and learn from others’ examples about what sportsmanship is and isn’t, how to defend against bullying and how to be valuable team members.
• Sports workshops: football, volleyball, badminton, basketball and table tennis held weekly. During the year, the children participate in over 200 workshops. For a good organization of the workshops, we purchased the necessary equipment according to the sports practiced.
• Providing healthy snacks – fresh fruit, nutrition bars, food supplements, yogurts, cereal crackers etc. – and quality water for the children in the program.
• Organization of the Sports Days event: during summer, but also throughout the year (e.g. at School “Different” activities, the Green Week at school etc.), children participate in various sports activities.
■ Information sessions dedicated to parents. The parents of the children included in the project’s activities participate in information sessions on the importance of a healthy diet and the practice of sports in the children’s lives.
