Children as young as eight are to be offered places at a West Yorkshire obesity camp for the first time to help them lose weight.
Carnegie International Camp Leeds has traditionally catered for children aged 11 to 17years old, but experts at theresidential weight loss intervention programme are lowering the age range to treat obesity earlier and prevent adverse health risks fro
m a youngerage.
The Yorkshire-based programme also announced it is expanding across the UK as new research proved that children attending the camp significantly reduce their risk of coronary heart disease as well as losing weight.
Professor Paul Gately, director of Carnegie Weight Management (CWM), said: "We are taking the bull by the horns and rolling out programmes nationally and lowering the age range to help us to reach out and help more children and families.
"By expanding our successful intervention, we are providing clear evidence that supports the Government agenda of combating obesity and can demonstrate the real need and demand for this type of service provision."
The latest study, which was funded by Heart Research UK, showed that CWM, which runs the not-for-profit camps, has developed one of the most effective treatments of childhood obesity worldwide.
Research published today in the Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis examined cholesterol LDL particles which are the strongest predictors of heart disease.
Children who are obese have a greater amount of the particles and, therefore, are at higher risk of getting heart disease.
For the study, the particles were analysed in obese children before and after attending the residential weight loss camp.
The results showed that children lost weight and reduced the small dense LDL particles and therefore their risk of heart disease.
Prof Gately said: "Currently there are over 4.5 million children who are already overweight and obese in the UK. These figures are reflected in Yorkshire; by the age of five, one in four are overweight or obese, rising to one in three by the time children are 10 years old.
"These statistics prove that we have to act now because these children already have a shortened life expectancy increasing their risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer."
The study was based at Carnegie International Camp at Woodhouse Grove School, Apperley Bridge, which was Britain's first weight-loss camp and is now the longest-running programme in Europe.
A separate scheme to help overweight children is also being expanded in Huddersfield.
Mend, a nationwide project that has been developed by
leading experts in childhood obesity, has been running in parts of Kirklees for a year and now the free course is to be launched in the Scissett and Fartown/Deighton areas of Huddersfield.
The scheme, which is for overweight children aged from seven to 13 and involves attending two sessions a week for nine weeks, is delivered locally by Kirklees Council's physical activity development team, part of Kirklees Culture and Leisure Services.
A council spokeswoman said: "Mend aims to make positive and sustainable changes to eating and exercise habits by involving the whole family.
"Parents and guardians have to accompany children to exercise sessions and take part in theory/advice sessions."
To book places on Mend, ring the physical activity development team on 01484 234096 and for more information visit www.mendprogramme.org
For more details on the camps phone 0113 8125233 or visit www.
carnegieweightmanagement.
com
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