Super Valu Launch Kids in Action Programme 2007

CHILDREN CALL FOR MORE TIME FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN SCHOOL
SuperValu Research shows knowledge of obesity issues high amongst primary school children

Research commissioned by SuperValu on the healthy eating and physical activity habits of children, has shown that primary school children have excellent knowledge of the causes of overweight and obesity and are aware of many of the possible health outcomes including diabetes, high cholesterol and low energy levels.

One of the main issues to emerge from the SuperValu study*, which was carried out with groups of young people aged between 10 – 12 years, was a call, from the children themselves, for more time to be devoted to physical activity, during school hours. The study groups recognised that by adopting a healthier lifestyle, incorporating regular activity and balanced, healthy eating that they would have more energy, more self confidence and could avoid health problems such as diabetes and heart disease.

The views of the children support previous research studies**, which conclude that schools need to be supported to cultivate active lifestyles in order to tackle the growing problem of obesity amongst children, in Ireland.

Results from the research were announced at the launch of SuperValu’s Kids in Action Programme 2007 which aims to encourage an active lifestyle and healthy eating habits amongst young children. Already, following the inaugural launch of the programme in 2006, SuperValu retailers have provided in excess of €1.3 million worth of sports equipment and have delivered over 50 tonnes of free fresh fruit to primary schools, all over Ireland.

Donal Horgan, Managing Director of SuperValu, said that Kids in Action was specifically designed as a multi-layered programme in order to encourage Irish primary school children, and their parents, to become more focussed on the importance of taking a holistic approach to the issue by combining healthy eating and an active lifestyle for better health.

“We do not underestimate the importance of sustaining and growing what was achieved in 2006 and facilitating schools with a programme that benefits young people is a major, long-term commitment by SuperValu,” said Mr Horgan.

“This isn’t about trying to achieve the unachievable. We are dealing here with real people, living their every day lives and looking for real solutions in terms of accessing healthier options.

“As a major industry player, we know that we have a clear responsibility to respond to the problem of overweight and obesity and we take this responsibility very seriously. We will continue to take the steps necessary to ensure that every primary school and every child in Ireland will have the opportunity to become a part of Kids in Action.  ” he concluded.

Kids in Action grew out of Buntْs, a programme run by the Irish Sports Council and sponsored by SuperValu since 2004, where Local Sports Partnerships work with Primary Schools to encourage children to participate in and enjoy sport, from an early age.

The Kids in Action programme is run in association with The Irish Sports Council and CEO, John Treacy, who was speaking at the launch, said that as a nation, we are experiencing a major health and lifestyle problem that has pushed its way onto our health and social agendas.

“This is a multi-faceted problem and it is incumbent on Government, parents, schools, stakeholders and industry to tackle this problem in a cohesive manner. I am therefore delighted that SuperValu is playing its own part by taking a practical and realistic response to one of Ireland’s major health problems,” said Mr Treacy.

Dr Conor O’Brien, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Exercise and Sports Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, also addressed guests at the launch and paid tribute to the role that schools play in terms of helping children to stay active, but cautioned that for many children, it simply may not be enough.

“Children need to be active for at least one hour, each day of the week.  It’s only through nurturing the formation of good habits during the early stages of life that we will have any chance of reversing the alarming obesity trend that we simply could not have predicted 20 years ago.  UK data suggests that there are about 300,000 overweight or obese children in Ireland, rising at a rate of 10,000 per year. This problem is not going away and studies show that the situation for our children is actually getting worse,” said Dr O’Brien.

“Urgent remedial action is needed and schools and parents need extra support if they are to fulfil their key roles in terms of influencing children’s lifestyle habits. “If studies show that children are knowledgeable on the issues pertaining to obesity and, because there appears to be a willingness by young children to become more active, we need to show them real support; the type of support that will help ensure that the healthy option becomes the easier option,” he concluded.

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Séan Power TD, officiated over launch proceedings and guests were joined by Irish stars including  Gordon D’Arcy; Mick Galwey; Ray D’Arcy; Brian Ormond; Kenneth Egan; Katie Taylor; David Gillick, Fionnuala Britton and Joanne Cuddihy,*** all of whom turned out to demonstrate their support for the promotion of healthier lifestyles for children. 

SuperValu’s Kids in Action Programme runs from 8th January to 18th March and is organised in association with a number of key stakeholders including the Irish Sports Council, the Irish Universities and Nutrition Alliance (IUNA) and Sarah Keogh, B. Sc. (Nutrition) MINDI.

SuperValu Stores will be handing out one voucher for every €10 spent, whilst double vouchers will be offered on fruit and vegetable purchases.

Further information is available on www.supervalukidsinaction.ie or by calling freefone 1800 242 648.
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For further information contact

Grayling PR 01-669 4900
Rachel Sherry 087 6622111 or
Caroline Moody 087 2652485

NOTES TO EDITORS

*The SuperValu study was carried out with mixed groups of primary school children in December, 2006. The study was conducted amongst 10-12 year olds, with parental permission, by Real Insights Research. 

** IUNA study, commissioned by SuperValu, which was an analysis of the Irish National Children’s Food Survey and was a report on the Patterns of Physical Activity.

*** Sports Personalities who attended the launch of Kids in Action in support of the programme were;
• Kenneth Egan, boxer, bronze medal, 2006 European Championships, Light Heavyweight, 6 times national champion
• Katie Taylor, boxer, 2006 World and European Lightweight Champion
• Gordon D’Arcy – Leinster and Ireland Rugby International
• Mick Galwey – ex Munster and Ireland Rugby International
• Fionnuala Britton, 2006 European Under 23 cross country silver medal
• Joanne Cuddihy, former European Junior Silver medalist, 200m and 400m runner who made a breakthrough performance in 2006 by reaching the 400m final in the European Championships
 
APPENDIX

KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS

• Children recognised the importance of being active and highlighted the main benefits as;
o “Having more energy”
o “Giving you confidence”
o “Keeping you healthy”
o “The chance to make new friends”

• Boys favoured soccer whilst girls indicated that dance was their favourite form of activity.  In response to this finding, SuperValu will be organising a major hip hop dance class for primary schools across Ireland, later in the year.

• According to all groups, PE classes are restricted to one hour a week, weather permitting, so often much of the children’s activity was confined to the playground during school breaks – a fact bemoaned by most of the children.

• The children understood that being active wasn’t just about sport, but was more about being ‘on the go’. This point is particularly important to the Irish Sports Council, which advocates an emphasis on the enjoyment of activity rather than seeking to compete and win.

• When asked about healthy eating, most children responded that a healthy diet was important in order to;
o Have more energy
o Avoid becoming fat or obese and interestingly
o Avoid diabetes and heart attacks

• The consumption of smoothie drinks was cited as a constructive and practical means of getting children to consume more fruit and vegetables.

• In addition to being influenced by their parents, many children said that they would be encouraged to eat more fruit and veg if a sports star, such as Gordon D’Arcy or Roy Keane, told them to.

• Interestingly, some children thought that shock tactics, like those used in the anti-smoking advertisements, would have an effect if they showed the effects of not following a healthy regime.

• When it came to meal times, favourite foods including pizza; chips; pasta; Indian meals and burgers were mentioned frequently. However, most children questioned did refer to the fact that they would also have fruit and/or vegetables, each day.

• However, green vegetables fared badly in the survey with most children citing their least favourite foods as broccoli, sprouts, green beans and cabbage.

OUT OF THE MOUTH’S OF CHILDREN……WHAT THE KIDS SAID:

Below are some of the quotes extracted from the research in relation to:

Breakfast:
• “The odd time I have a fry at the weekend because my dad makes a fry.”
• “I have toast and a yoghurt and peanut butter on my toast.”

Dinner:
• “My mum is really strict, she only makes one dinner for the family and if we don’t eat it, we won’t get anything else.”  However, according to another child:
• “We have different dinners; my mom and dad would have the same thing, I would have pizza and my sister would have chicken nuggets & chips.”

Being Active:
• “I think you can be active without doing sport; you could be walking or playing with your friends - couldn’t you?”
• “It feels better if you’re active – you would be tired if you weren’t active.”
• “I would love to do more PE.”
• “Three days a week would be good to do PE.”
• “The teachers think that learning is more important than PE!”

Nutrition:
• “Fruit and veg are the things that keep the bugs out and help your immune system so you don’t get sick!”
• “The Food Pyramid is about what you should eat; at the top are the foods that you shouldn’t eat and then there is protein, like meat and then there are carbohydrates – pasta & stuff and then at the bottom there is fruit & veg – you are supposed to eat loads of them!”
• “If you eat spinach and vegetables, and stuff, you will get stronger and stay slimmer instead of becoming overweight and then obese and then having heart attacks.”

On eating 5 of more pieces of fruit and/or veg a day:
• “If you had one (piece of fruit) for breakfast, then lunch, then when you came home from school and then again at dinner, you would have four a day and then you could have one in the middle of the day, as well.”
• “Mostly my mom would give me fruit for lunch and then maybe after dinner – if she gave them to me - I’d probably eat them.”
• “Maybe you could get five a day if you had Smoothies – you put fruit, yoghurt and orange juice in together – they are gorgeous!”
• “Smoothies are the best – I make them myself sometimes or mom does them – I put strawberries & pears in them.”

On being influenced:
• “Roy Keane – if he told me to eat more fruit I would listen to him – he’s the best.”
• “If kids are young you could threaten them, nothing too bad, just something to make them eat it (the healthier option).”
• “My teacher is really young, so I would listen to her.”

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