Litt

le st

eps

for

heal

thy

living

Published by the Health Service Executive, safefood

and the Health Prom

otion Agency, N

orthern Ireland

Publication date: June 2008R

eview date:

June 2010O

rder number:

HPM

00521

Li t t le changes wi l l make a l l the d i fference to our chi ldren’s heal th. Let ’s he lp them make these changes.

The new me.

Crisps are out. Apples are in.

My body is a temple.

w w w . l i t t l e s t e p s g o a l o n g w a y . i e

Healthy living: little steps go a long way!Our children learn all about how to live from watching the adults in their lives. If we eat well and are active, chances are they’ll grow up to do the same. If you’d like to help your family adopt a healthier lifestyle, start by trying some of the ideas suggested here, one little step at a time.

Get moving

Get active as a family! It will give you

more quality time together, boost your

energy levels and keep stress at bay.

Children should build up to at least 60

minutes of activity a day, while adults

need at least 30 minutes. Here are

some little steps to get the whole

family moving.

What you can do in 60 minutes or more• Findyourlocalcycling/hikingtrailorforest

and go for family cycles or walks• Goforawalkorrunonthebeach• Playtennis–haveafamilycompetition• Gotothenearestplaygroundorpark• Goswimmingortrywatervolleyball• Enterafunrunandtrainforitasafamily

Getting active• Giveyourchildrenthechancetotry

different sports and activities: swimming, soccer, tennis, martial arts, hiking, dancing, gymnastics, basketball, cycling and other fun activities

• Include time during the day for your younger childrentoplay–activegamescanhelpchildren to reach their 1hr a day target

• Physicalactivityisnotjustaboutplayingsport.Encourageyourchildrentowashthe car, walk the dog, work in the garden, play tag, or even do some housework

• Beapositiverolemodelforyourchildren.Take the stairs instead of the lift. Go for a brisk walk. Try a new activity. Get off the bus a stop or two early and walk the rest of the way. Or even leave the car at home for short trips

• Bephysicallyactivewithyourchildren.Planactivitiesthatthewholefamilycantake part in: hiking, cycling, going to the park or the beach

• Encourageyourchildren–Praisethemwhen they are active, don’t focus on winning or being the best, praise them for taking part and having fun. They will feel better about themselves and be more likely to carry on being active

• Getthebalanceright-Limitthe “non-active”timeyourchildrenspendsitting in front of the television, playing computer games, or surfing the internet. It is all about getting a healthy balance

Children should build up to at least

60 minutes of physical activity every

day, while adults need to get moving

for at least 30 minutes daily.

Walking, running, dancing, skipping,

biking, swimming and playing

sports all count towards the activity

you need.

What you can do in 5 -15 minutes• Tryskipping!Practiserhymes,

rhythms and tricks, or make

up new ones

• Cycletotheshops

• Leaveyourcarathomeforshort

journeys

• Playaballgame

(with a football, basketball

or tennis ball)

• Practisecatching,kickingand

passing a ball

• Mopthekitchenfloortomusic

What you can do in 30 minutes• Headforyourlocalparkwithaball

• Washthecartogether

• Takeyourdogforawalk

• Doactivejobstogetherathome,

such as vacuuming, sweeping, or

raking the leaves

• Try walking some of the way or

cycling to work or school

• Playtraditionalgames.

Forexample,hideandseek,

tip the can, tag and hopscotch

Going up Being more active

Going downWatching TV

Get moving

Resist pester powerBereadytosay“no”toanydemandsforsweets from your children. Talk to them in advance about what they’ll be allowed to havesotheyknowwhattoexpect.Bringsome chopped fruit pieces in a plastic bag orcontainerorpopcornforthejourney.

Read the label Take time to read the labels and learn about what’s in the foods you eat. Reading labels can help you avoid foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar. Compare like for like products and choose those that are lower in fat, salt and sugar.

Stock upInclude some canned and dried foods for yourkitchencupboard–bakedbeansandwholemeal toast make a great quick meal. Tinned fish, pasta, tinned tomatoes and dried herbs can be used to rustle up a meal too.

Make a listWrite out a shopping list before you go, then stick to it as you shop.

Don’t shop on an empty stomachIt’s never a good idea to go shopping for food when you’re hungry. You’re more likely to rush things, make poor choices and go for a quick sugarfixbypickingupanunhealthysnack.

Keep a healthy balance in mindCheck your trolley before you finish. Have you tried to buy mostly starchy foods (for example,breads,potatoes,pastasandcereals), fruit and vegetables? Have you picked up more lean meat than processed meats?Aretheresomelow-fatdairyfoodsinthere? Have you included some fish?

Shop for success

Mostofthefoodweeatisbought

in the supermarket and then prepared

at home. So the first step towards

healthier eating is to look at what’s

in your shopping basket! Here are

some little steps to help you shop

for success.

Going up Shopping when

you’re not hungry

Going downShopping without

a list

Best with mealsEatingsugarysnacksbetweenmealscanaffect your child’s teeth, so it’s best to eat these foods with a meal.

Just oneLimitfattyand/orsugarysnackstooneperday.

Keep it smallLookoutforminiorsnack-sizedversionsof their favourites so that you know they won’t overdo it. These smaller versions are generallyonlyavailableasmulti-packs,sokeep them well out of reach.

Healthier snacksSnackfoods-likebiscuits,crisps,chocolateandsweets-areokayinsmallamountsas part of a healthy balanced diet. There are also lots of delicious and convenient alternatives your child can eat as snacks, that taste great and are good for them. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Switch from crisps to popcorn–popcornis low in fat and contains fibre for healthy digestion. If you pop your own, the children canjoininandyoucanaddlesssaltorusecinnamon instead

• Go crackers-unsaltedplainorwholewheat crackers topped with banana

or cheese are quick and easy to prepare snacks for when hungry children come home from school

• Need a milk fix?Tryamilkymug-forthewhole family, why not try a mug of cold or warm milk after school or other snack times. This provides a fabulous calcium boost.Youcanuselowfatorsemi-skimmed milk for children over two years

How to deal with snacks and treats

Going up Playing games at home, at

the park or in the playground

Going downGiving fatty and/or sugary

snacks as a reward

Treats and rewards don’t have

to be food. Try to reward your

childreninotherways–by

giving them comics or books, or

with outings to the park or the

swimming pool.

No-onewantstotakethefunout

of being a child, so here are

some practical tips to make sure

yougetthebalancejustrightfor

your family.

• Eat fruit every day–trytogiveyourchildren a wide variety of fruit to taste, and introduce varieties in season. Remember thatifchildrendon’tlikethetextureortaste, keep trying! It can take up to ten attempts before a child will accept a particular food

• Drink milk or water–asmallcartonofmilk or a bottle of water will be kinder to theirteeththanjuicedrinksorfizzydrinks

• Try a yoghurt dessert–naturalyoghurttopped with chopped fruit can be a satisfying alternative for children who love creamy, dairy desserts

• Eat cereal anytime–unsweetenedcerealwith milk is a snack your child can easily prepareforthemselves.Encouragethemtoexperimentbyaddingfruit,likebananaor berries

• Pile vegetables into a soup–aheartyhome-madevegetablesoup(madebychoppingsomeextravegetableslikeleeks, carrots and parsnips while you are making dinner and boiling up with a veggie stock cube) can fill them up and really boost their vegetable intake

What about drinks?We all need to drink plenty of fluids regularly throughout the day. The amount we need depends on how active we are and how warm it is. On average we need about 8 glasses each day. Unhealthy drinks can cause tooth decay and provide unnecessary calories.

Here are some tips• Waterandmilkarebest• Carryadrinksbottlewithwatertoschool,

work or play • Onlyconsumesugarydrinksandfruit

juiceswithameal• Chooseunsweetenedfruitjuiceinsteadof

sweetenedfruitjuicesandjuicedrinksthatare higher in sugar. Avoid tooth decay by drinkingjuicewithmealsandforyoungerchildrenideallydiluteonepartjuiceto 10 parts water

• Servewaterwithmeals.Makeitmoreinteresting with slices of lemon, lime, or orange, or a splash of unsweetened fruitjuice

• Don’tsupersizehotorsugarydrinks

Research has shown that children who consistently spend more than 4 hours per day watching TV are more likely to be overweight. Too much inactivity can also increase the risk of type II diabetes.

Expertsrecommendthatchildrenunder2years of age should have no ‘screen time’, whichincludesTV,DVDsorvideotapes,computers or video games. Children older than2yearsshouldwatchnomorethan 1-2hoursadayofqualityprogramming.

Help your family cut down on time in front of the screen• MakearuleaboutthenumberofTVor

computer hours you’ll allow• TrylimitingtheTVand/orPConweekdays• Never have the TV on through family meals• Setagoodexampleyourself

When your children want to watch TV or play computer games, encourage them to get active instead. Kick off a game of hide and seek, head to the park with a football, put on some music and dance or go for a cycle or a walk.

Going up Being more active

Going downWatching TV

Be a screen monitor

Children who spend more than 4 hours

a day in front of a screen are more

likely to be overweight. As well as not

being active, they may be snacking

on fatty or sugary foods in front of the

screen. Here are some little steps to

help you get them off the couch.

Take some time to teach your children how to help with small tasks. There might be someextramessbutit’sworthitiftheycanlearn something new about food.

How kids can help in the kitchen2yearoldscan:

• Wipetabletops• Scrubvegetables• Washandtearsaladvegetables• Playwithsafeutensils• Breakcauliflowerandbroccoli• Bringingredientsfromoneplace

to another

As they move up to 4 years old and beyond, kids can:

• Wrappotatoesintinfoilforbaking• Spreadsoftspreads• Kneadandshapedough• Pourliquidslikemilkandwater• Putthingsinthebin• Mixingredients• Peelorangesorhardboiledeggs• Mashbananasorpotatoes• Set the table• Cut herbs or spring onions with dull blunt scissors• Measureingredients• Beatanegg• Cut with a blunt knife

Getting children involved in what they eat will help them understand about eating healthier foods and how this can help them to grow. And whether it’s dairy foods for healthy bones or starchy foods for long-lastingenergy,makingfoodfun, especially at mealtimes, is a great way to start.

Mealtimes

What to put on your plateA healthy diet is one that is varied and contains the following:

• Plentyoffruitsandvegetables– aim for five or more servings a day

• Mealsbasedonstarchyfoodslikebread,potatoes,rice,pastaandcereals-choosewholegrain varieties as often as you can

• Somedairyproductslikemilk,cheese,fromage frais or yoghurt

• Somemeat,fish,eggs,beans,lentilsor nuts. Aim to eat two portions of fish a week, one of which is oily (like mackerel, salmon or sardines)

• Smallamountsoffoodsanddrinkshighinfatand/orsugar

It’s easy to pile up our plates with portions that arebiggerthanweneed–andtopileonthepounds over time. If this is an issue in your family,tryusingasmallerplate–it’sasimplewaytocutdownonportionsize.Youmayfindthat you are satisfied with a smaller amount of food. Remember that children are smaller and don’tneedadult-sizedportionsontheirplates.

In the past, many of us were encouraged to finish everything on our plates but that was in the days when food wasn’t so plentiful. Children and teenagers should be encouraged to try everything on their plate, but be sure to let them decide when they have had enough. Never force them to finish everything on their plate.

EatingmealsinfrontoftheTVorcomputercan lead us to eat more because we are not asconsciousofwhatweareeating.Eatingtogether at the table is best.

The swap shopHealthy eating and physical

activity doesn’t have to mean

completely rethinking the way you

live. Have a look at some of the

small changes we suggest here

and see how a little step can go a

long way.

Going up Keeping an eye on

portion size

Going downPiling the plates

high

Swap this... for this... or better still, this:

Sausage, bacon, egg, pudding,

toast, butter and tea

Swap some meat for vegetables -

bacon, egg, beans, toast, butter and tea

Add some fruit and less meat -

scrambled egg, beans, tomato and toast, butter

andglassoffruitjuice

Largewhiterollwithchickengoujonsand

coleslaw. Sugary drink

Go lean on meat and downsize roll -

Mediumwhiterollwithroastchicken

and salad and diet drink

Switch to wholegrain and add some fruit and dairy -

Mediumwholegrainrollwithroastchickenand

salad, yoghurt, apple and water

Batteredchicken,chipsandsmall

portion of beans

Swap to lean meat and wedges -

Strips of chicken breast, potato wedges and

portion of beans

Swap wedges for baby potatoes and up

the vegetables -

Chicken breast, baby potatoes, beans and broccoli

Meatpizzaand2slicesgarlicbread Downsize pizza and add some vegetables -

Sliceofmeatpizzatoppedwithvegetables,

a slice of garlic bread and side salad

Add more vegetables -

Pizzaslicewithextravegetables

(multi-coloured)andside-salad

Swap this... for this... or better still, this:

Largechocolatebar Standard size chocolate bar Snack size chocolate bar Sitting in front of the TV for the afternoon

Limit TV to 1 hour a day - In the garden play skipping games or rounders

Limit TV to 1 hour a day at weekends only - Makeoutanafter-schoolactivityplanforexamplegoing to park, swimming, playing with friends

Taking the escalator or lift at work or at the shops

Take the stairs - only take the escalator or lift when you have bags or messages

Take the stairs all the time

Sitting talking on the phone Walk to your friend’s house for a chat Go for a walk with a friend

The little steps that will make a big difference The little steps that will make a big difference

Going up Making healthy

swaps

Going downSticking with

bad habits

Lunch

Breakfast

Dinner

Snacks/desserts

Physical activity

Issue Solution

I don’t have time to cook healthily for the family

Keepthingssimpleinthekitchenatfirst.Astirfrywithchickenorbeefandsomefresh,tinnedorfrozenvegetablesisquickandeasy.Makeyourownmincedbeefbolognese.Ifyoumakemorethanyouneed, youcanfreezeittoenjoyanothertime.

I can’t cook! Puttingamealtogetherdoesn’thavetobedifficult-askyourfriendsandrelativesforquickandeasymealideasthatyoucancook.Andifyouaskthemaroundtoshowyou,theycanenjoyyourfoodtoo!Ifyoustartoffwithmeat,potatoesand2vegetables,that’sgreat.Asyoubecomemorecomfortablewithcookingyouwillbecome more adventurous.

Healthy food costs more Readymealsandsaucescanbeexpensive.Savemoneybymakingyourownandkeepinganeyeoutforspecialoffers.Choosingtinnedandfrozenvarietiesoffruitsandvegetablescansaveyoumoneyandwillhelpcut down on waste.

The children always want treats

Lookoutforminiorsnack-sizedversionsoftheirfavouritessothatyouknowtheywon’toverdoit.Thesesmallerversionsaregenerallyonlyavailableasmulti-packs,sokeepthemwelloutreach.

Working around the issues Introducing changes to what we

eat and how active we are can

often bring up issues for the whole

family. With any changes, it’s

important to try them one little step

at a time. Here are some tips for

working around the issues.

Issue Solution

The weather is too bad to get outside for a walk

Makesuretofitinthatwalkondayswhentheweatherisfine!Orhowaboutindooractivitieslikebadminton,yoga, and the like during the winter months?

I’ve very little time to spare Rememberthatthreeshort10-minuteboutsofphysicalactivitybuiltintoyourdaywillalladdup.

Thegymisveryexpensive Noneedtojointhegymtogetfit!Agoodpairofwalkingshoesisallanybodyreallyneedstobecomemoreactive.

I’m no good at sport and I’m too old

Youdon’thavetoplaysporttogetactive.Gotothebeachforanafternoon,buildsandcastles,flyakiteorjustkickaballaboutwiththekids.Itisnevertoolatetobecomemoreactive,justfindsomethingyouenjoydoing.

I’m embarrassed about getting into a tracksuit

Mostactivities,likewalking,onlyneedcomfyshoes.

I’mjustembarrassedbecause I’m so out of shape

Ifyouhavebecomeveryoverweight,talktoyourGPbeforeyoustarttoexercise.Graduallyincreaseyouractivity.Feelproudthatyou’regettingactive.Bringalongagoodfriendformoralsupport.

Going up Making healthy

choices

Going downFinding excuses!

Putting it all into practice

Be positiveTell your children about the benefits of healthyliving.Explainhowitwillhelpthemgrow up stronger, but remember to talk about today’s benefits too, because children don’t really think ahead.

Explainhoweatingwellandbeingactiveevery day will help them stay alert in school andbethebesttheycanbeatsport.Praisethem when they make the right choices.

Set an exampleRemember children always model adult behaviour. The easiest way to help them eat well and be active is to do the same yourself. So, if you’re going to the local shops, suggest you all walk instead of taking the car.

Keep a balanceGive your children some say in what they eat and do. Avoid banning less healthy foods–itwillonlymakethemevenmoredesirable, and a little treat now and then is ok. Try to make physical activity fun rather than making it a chore. In the long term, a balanced approach will help them make the right choices later on.

Keep it up!Getting the whole family to eat better food and be more active is easy, now that you know how. The ideas for small changes we’ve outlined here really will make a big difference. Keep this booklet in your kitchen, and check it every now and again to make sure you’re keeping all of the suggestions in mind. Remember, when it comes to healthier living, these little steps will go a long way.