The Family Health Initiative

"Making a positive change to your family's health and lifestyle!"

The new Family Health Initiative Programme "Healthier Choices, Healthier Families" as part of the CAWT UP4IT! Project, has been developed through a multi-team participatory process, facilitated by Early Years – the organisation for young children through funding from the European Union's INTERREG IVA programme.

The prevention programme (under fives) has been designed to run over eight weeks, with follow-ups in weeks 16 and 36.

The management programme (8-11 year olds) has been designed to run over ten weeks, with follow-ups in weeks 16, 24, 36 and 48.

The aims of the programme are to empower families to:

• Understand the importance of a balanced diet and make healthier food choices.
• Understand the importance of exercise and increase physical activity levels.
• Understand the physical and emotional consequences connected to obesity.
• Build the skills and confidence of parents to model healthy lifestyle choices for their children, and enable their children to lead healthy lives combining a balanced diet, physical exercise, rest and play in a sociable family atmosphere.